Final answer:
John Locke believed that governments hold our allegiance through a social contract, which states that people give their consent to be governed in exchange for protection of their natural rights. If a government fails to uphold these rights, the social contract is broken, and the people have the right to replace the government.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to theorist John Locke, governments hold our allegiance through a concept known as the social contract. Locke theorized that people agree to sacrifice a portion of their freedom and consent to be ruled in exchange for the government's protection of their fundamental rights, such as life, liberty, and property. Should the government fail to protect these rights or abuse its power, Locke argued that the social contract is broken, thereby releasing the people from their obligation to obey. The people then have the legitimate right to overthrow the existing government and establish a new one that will uphold their natural rights.
Locke's perspective influenced the Enlightenment's understanding of legitimate government, and the importance of consent of the governed. A legitimate government must perform its duty to protect the natural rights of people. If it fails to do so, the governed have the right and the duty to institute a new government that will ensure their security and preserve their rights.