Final answer:
John Locke believed that when establishing a government, people willingly give up some of their liberty in exchange for protection of their natural rights. This social contract allows for the formation of legitimate government based on the consent of the governed, and he argued that people have the right to alter or abolish a government that fails to protect their rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to John Locke, when men create governments, they willingly give up some of their liberty (c). Locke theorized the concept of a "social contract", an implicit agreement between the people and their government. People sacrifice a portion of their freedom in exchange for the government's protection of their vital rights, such as life, liberty, and property. This social contract implies that governments owe the people security and protection, whereas people owe the government loyalty and obedience, as long as the government upholds its end of the agreement.
In Locke's view, a ruler gains authority through the consent of the governed, and the legitimacy of government is based on its duty to protect the natural rights of the people. If a government fails to protect these rights or becomes oppressive, the people have the right to withdraw their consent and institute a new government that would safeguard their safety and happiness, thus reflecting the ultimate purpose of the Bill of Rights.
Locke's ideas have profoundly influenced the formation of modern democratic states, including the principles underlying the U.S. Constitution and the justification for the American Revolution.