Abstract

Political obligation” is a pivotal subject in the political philosophy. The core of the discussion is that, on one hand, the governor has the right to rule, and on the other hand, the citizens must obey a political system. In this concern, there have been propounded several theories. The present essay attempts to examine critically English philosopher John Locke’s notion of political obligation. In brief, Lock’s social theory, known as consent theory, holds that the legitimacy of the governments and the obligation of citizens to obey the governor are based on the consent of the governed.