Consent of the governed refers to the principle that a government's authority is derived from the approval or agreement of its citizens. It implies that rulers should govern based on popular consent rather than through force or coercion.
Related terms
Popular Sovereignty: The belief that political power lies with the people who exercise it through voting or other democratic processes.
Democracy: A system of government in which power rests with the people who participate directly or indirectly in decision-making processes.
Tyranny: Unjust rule by an oppressive ruler or government without regard for the will or well-being of its subjects.