The accurate statement regarding John Locke’s belief in the social contract and the relationship between government and its people is:
“Locke’s belief in the social contract between a government and its people meant that citizens should agree to obey their government as long as the government protected their natural rights.”
According to Locke’s philosophy, individuals form a social contract with their government in which they agree to obey the laws and authority of the government in exchange for protection of their natural rights, such as life, liberty, and property. The government’s authority is not absolute but rather limited by its responsibility to protect these rights. If the government fails to fulfill its duty, individuals have the right to rebel or challenge the government’s legitimacy. Locke’s ideas have significantly influenced modern democratic thought and the concept of the rule of law.