Which concept asserts that authority should be derived from the social contract between the governed and the government?

Which concept asserts that authority should be derived from the social contract between the governed and the government?

• A. Legal Paternalism
• B. Accountability
• C. Social Contract
• D. Cultural Competence

Answer: (C)

Social contract theory holds that political authority derives from the consent of the governed, expressed through an agreement between the people and their government. This means legitimacy comes from citizens agreeing to be governed in exchange for protection of rights, public order, and the common good. The government gains its authority by honoring the terms of that contract and operating within the rule of law, while the people retain the right to alter or withdraw that authority if the contract is violated. Legal Paternalism is about the state justifying coercive measures for individuals’ own good, not about where authority comes from. Accountability focuses on ensuring officials answer for their actions, which follows from authority but doesn’t by itself establish its source. Cultural Competence deals with understanding and respecting diverse cultures in practice, not with the source of political power.

Social contract theory holds that political authority derives from the consent of the governed, expressed through an agreement between the people and their government. This means legitimacy comes from citizens agreeing to be governed in exchange for protection of rights, public order, and the common good. The government gains its authority by honoring the terms of that contract and operating within the rule of law, while the people retain the right to alter or withdraw that authority if the contract is violated.

Legal Paternalism is about the state justifying coercive measures for individuals’ own good, not about where authority comes from. Accountability focuses on ensuring officials answer for their actions, which follows from authority but doesn’t by itself establish its source. Cultural Competence deals with understanding and respecting diverse cultures in practice, not with the source of political power.