Student Question
According to Rousseau, where does a government obtain power?
Quick answer:
According to Rousseau, government derives its power from the consent of the people through a "social contract." In this contract, individuals in a state of nature, who are vulnerable to threats, collectively agree to surrender some freedoms for protection. Thus, a government's legitimacy is based on its actions reflecting the people's will, making its power contingent upon the consent of those it governs.
According to Rousseau, the government gets power from the consent of the people it rules. It does this through the creation of a "social contract."
According to Rousseau, people in the state of nature are not really all that free. This is because others may attack them and take their lives or possessions.
Because of this danger, people get together in societies. They form a social contract in which the people give up some freedom in exchange for protection.
Because they have done this, government can only legitmately do things that the people want them to do. So that means the power come from the consent of the people.
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