Final answer:
The concept that the government must follow the needs of its citizens is known as a Social Contract. It's a theory where government authority derives from the consent of the governed, and this consent can be withdrawn if the government does not protect natural rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tenet that the government must adhere to the needs of its citizens is a fundamental component of a Social Contract. The social contract theory posits that a government holds power solely by the consent of the governed, and citizens are within their rights to withdraw that consent if the government fails to protect their natural rights.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a key figure in developing this concept, argued that a just government must reconcile individual freedoms with the sovereignty of the state and should be guided by the general will, which reflects the interests of the populace as a whole rather than an elite minority.