Which eighteenth-century philosopher believed that the right to rule comes from the "consent of the governed"?

The belief that the right to rule comes from the "consent of the governed" is central to the philosophy of John Locke. Locke argued that legitimate government is based on the social contract between the rulers and the people. In his work, particularly in "Two Treatises of Government," he emphasized that individuals consent to form a government to protect their natural rights, including life, liberty, and property. If the government fails to uphold these rights, citizens have the authority to withdraw their consent and replace it. This foundational idea significantly influenced democratic thought and the development of modern political theory, establishing the importance of popular sovereignty in governance. Locke's views laid the groundwork for later democratic principles found in documents such as the Declaration of Independence.