What did Jonathan Swift believe about the source of political power?

Jonathan Swift did not believe in the divine right of kings, a theory he rejected throughout his career. Instead, he maintained that the ultimate source of political power is derived from the people as a whole.1

Within the framework of the English constitution, Swift argued that this power is exercised jointly by the monarchy, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. He viewed this balance of power as a necessary bulwark against tyranny, a position he notably defended in his essay, Discourse of the Contests and Dissensions between the Nobles and the Commons in Athens and Rome. Although he later became associated with the Tory party, he never renounced these fundamental Whiggish convictions regarding the nature of government.12