Who argued that the government's legitimacy comes from a social contract with the people?

The concept of the social contract is central to the political philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau posited that legitimate political authority arises from an agreement or contract between the government and the governed, where individuals collectively agree to form a society and abide by its rules for the sake of mutual preservation and general will. This idea emphasizes that sovereignty lies with the people, and the government's power is justified only as long as it reflects the general will and serves the common good.

In contrast, while Thomas Hobbes and John Locke also discussed social contract theories, their interpretations differ. Hobbes viewed the social contract as a means to escape the chaos of the state of nature, resulting in an absolute sovereign. Locke, on the other hand, proposed that the government's authority is based on the consent of the governed but emphasized natural rights and the right to revolt against unjust rulers. John Stuart Mill focused on liberty and the importance of individual freedom in a democratic society rather than the concept of a social contract in the same framing as Rousseau. Thus, Rousseau's emphasis on collective agreement and the general will distinguishes his argument about the legitimacy of government through a social contract.