CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED Definition & Meaning

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Although these different thinkers reach very different political conclusions, they are all—even Hobbes—operating within a fundamentally democratic paradigm: Governments are justified by some kind of appeal to the consent of the governed; the state of nature is the key philosophical tool for establishing how people reason through their rights and obligations to each other.

From

Note “We the People” in the preamble to the Constitution, legitimate governments “deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed” in the Declaration of Independence and “government of the people, by the people, for the people” in the Gettysburg Address.

From

“By accepting only one of the issues raised by the Governor and holding the other two issues in abeyance, the majority refashions this court as the Governor’s avenue for imposing policy changes without the consent of the governed,” she wrote.

From

So, we depend on the news media, a dependence that's very dangerous in a democracy where the precept is that we need the informed consent of the governed, while what we're getting is their uninformed pseudo-consent.

From

“Strengthening transparent, accountable governance rooted in the consent of the governed is a fundamental imperative of our time,” Mr. Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said in a joint statement at the opening of this year’s summit on Wednesday.

From

Discover More

More About Consent Of The Governed

What does consent of the governed mean?

Consent of the governed is a political idea that states that the only legitimate government is one in which the power is derived from its citizens.

Simply put, consent of the governed means that a government exists only because the people freely allow it to and have given their consent. This is most often accomplished by citizens voting for their government leaders, as is done in modern democracies. The United States, for example, votes for local, state, and national officials in regularly held elections.

The concept of consent of the governed is the central concept of a democratic form of government. Consent of the governed is what separates a democracy from a dictatorship or an absolute monarchy.

Why is consent of the governed important?

The idea of consent of the governed came from political philosopher John Locke (1632–1704), who wrote about the concept in his Two Treatises of Government. Locke argued that a government exists to serve the people, who are all equal citizens, and the people have the right to rebel if the government fails at this duty.

At the time, Locke was arguing in favor of the Glorious Revolution, which deposed King James II. However, Locke’s ideas inspired another revolution in Great Britain and one of the revolutionaires, Thomas Jefferson, would put Locke’s philosophy in the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence.

In human history, governments with the consent of the governed were not common until relatively recently. Democracies and republics, both of which operate under consent of the governed, are two of the most common forms of government in modern times.

Did you know … ?

The oldest example of rule by consent of the governed is Ancient Athens, dating all the way back to the 400s b.c.e. The citizens of Athens voted directly on many important issues, such as war and trade. However, only adult, Athenian-born men were allowed to vote.

What are real-life examples of consent of the governed?

This quick video lecture explains how John Locke’s ideas, including consent of the governed, were incorporated into the Declaration of Independence:

Even in modern times, consent of the governed is an important, fundamental value to many citizens of democratic countries.

“No government is legitimate unless it enjoys the consent of the governed, and that consent cannot be rendered except through majority rule.”

— Sola (@Advsola)

Where you live should not be the predominant factor in deciding whether or not you can participate in our democracy. Consent of the governed is a universal principle. There are many states where we can and should do better. That's where we push hardest.

— Vote Allies (Stand Up For #VotingRights) (@VoteAllies)

��

What other words are related to consent of the governed?

Quiz yourself!

Which of the following is the best example of a leader who rules by consent of the governed?

A. A military general who took over a government
B. A prime minister who was elected in a competitive general election
C. An emperor who inherited his role from his father
D. A queen who inherited her role from her mother

Browse

�y��vlog