Final answer:
John Locke believed that the main purpose of government was to protect man's natural rights including life, liberty, and property. Governments are formed by the consent of the governed to uphold these rights, and can be replaced if they fail to do so.
Step-by-step explanation:
English philosopher John Locke believed that the main purpose of government was to protect man's natural rights of life, liberty, and property. In his seminal work, Second Treatise of Government, Locke argued that individuals in a state of nature are free, equal, and rational, and possess inalienable rights. The government is created by the consent of the governed specifically to protect these natural rights.
Furthermore, if a government fails in its duty to protect the natural rights of its citizens or becomes corrupt, people have the right to overthrow and replace it. This principle is part of what Locke described as the social contract between the people and their governing bodies. His influence extends to modern democratic thought and was foundational in the development of the U.S. Constitution.