In Locke's social contract, what is the primary reason people consent to form a government?

• A. To increase monarchic power
• B. To secure their natural rights
• C. To promote religious uniformity
• D. To wage constant war

Answer: (B)

Locke argues that people choose to form a government primarily to secure their natural rights—life, liberty, and property. In the state of nature, there are no established laws or impartial judges to protect those rights, and life can be insecure. By consenting to government, individuals create a civil authority whose purpose is to make laws, adjudicate disputes, and enforce rules in a way that preserves these rights for everyone. The legitimacy of that government rests on its ability to protect what people value; if it fails, the social contract allows for change. The other aims—increasing monarchic power, enforcing religious uniformity, or waging constant war—do not align with Locke’s view of why people consent to form civil society.