Final answer:
John Locke's philosophy asserts that government authority derives from the consent of the governed, not from divine right, the wealthy elite, or military leaders. This is based on the social contract theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to John Locke, government authority is based on the people. In his Second Treatise of Government, Locke argued that a legitimate government gains authority through the consent of the governed, and its main duty is to protect the natural rights of the people, including life, liberty, and property. This stands in contrast to other theories like the divine right of kings, where monarchs claim their authority is granted by God, or theories that emphasize the rule of the wealthy elite. Locke's influential philosophy of government is based on the idea of a social contract where political power is legitimate only if it is derived from the consent of the people.