What kind of Politics is Consistent with Consent of the Governed?

Source: Freedom and Flourishing
by Winton Bates

“I understand that the American revolutionaries saw election of representatives as the primary vehicle for consent. That view of consent appears to have much in common with the concept of ‘government legitimacy’ as described by modern political scientists who focus on procedural rules such as the existence of free and fair elections. It also appears to have a lot in common with the concept of ‘tacit consent’ as described by John Locke …. [Max] Borders argues that consent of the governed means ‘a real, contractual civil association that a sovereign person selects in a governance market’. I will outline his ideal model of consent after considering the case he makes that we should be concerned about consent.” (09/16/26)

https://www.freedomandflourishing.com/2026/09/what-kind-of-politics-is-consistent.html