Final answer:
C. To protect the natural rights of people
The purpose of government, according to John Locke, is to protect the natural rights of life, liberty, and property. He emphasizes that a government is legitimate only if it has the consent of the governed and protects these rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government, the purpose of government is to protect the natural rights of people. Locke believed that in a state of nature, individuals are equal, free, and rational, possessing inalienable rights to “life, liberty, and property.”
He stated that the government's duty is to preserve these natural rights, and that a ruler gains authority through the consent of the governed.
This governance philosophy underlies the concept of popular sovereignty where the legitimacy of a government comes from having the consent of its people, effectively delineating the purpose and scope of the government's role.
Furthermore, Locke’s view was that any government that becomes tyrannical and does not protect these rights is not legitimate, and the citizens have the right to revolt and establish a new government that will adhere to these principles.