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How did Locke connect political authority to the consent of the governed?

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The Code of Hammurabi diorite stela, with carved figures at the top showing Hammurabi seated with cuneiform inscriptions below. — Political philosophy Diorite stela inscribed with the Code of Hammurabi, 18th century bce.

John Locke connected political authority to the consent of the governed by framing government as a social contract designed to protect natural rights.12

In his state of nature, Locke argued that all individuals are naturally free and equal, subject only to the law of nature. However, because individuals acting as their own judges can lead to injustice and violence, they enter into a contract to establish a civil government. This government is granted the authority to enforce laws for the public good, but its power is strictly limited and conditional.134

Legitimacy is derived from this consent, as government has no right to seize property or infringe upon personal liberty without the agreement of the people. Because the authority is a trust, it remains responsible to the governed; if a government fails to protect the rights of its citizens, it violates the contract, and the people are entitled to remove it. Thus, for Locke, political authority is not absolute but a morally sanctioned capacity that exists only to serve the peace, safety, and property of the community.451