consent of the governed

Cultural  

1. A condition urged by many as a requirement for legitimate government: that the authority of a government should depend on the consent of the people, as expressed by votes in elections. (See Declaration of Independence, democracy, and John Locke.)

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Example Sentences

Going forward, it was hoped that Southern governments would truly rest on the consent of the governed, as the Declaration of Independence had promised.

From Slate • Jun. 3, 2026

Representation limits this tension by claiming that acts undertaken with the consent of the governed are really their own decisions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

An emperor or king who rules not by the consent of the governed, but by divine right.

From Salon • Oct. 7, 2025

But the Freedom House report struck me as a powerful reminder that it is far preferable to live in a nation based on the consent of the governed and the rule of law.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2023

Governments, I said, derive their authority and legitimacy from the consent of the governed, and we had assembled to create such a legitimate authority.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela