I would refer you to the political theory of John Locke, et al., in particular the consent of the governed. Additionally, see the UN Human Rights declaration f

I would refer you to the political theory of John Locke, et al., in particular the consent of the governed. Additionally, see the UN Human Rights declaration for the most modern (as far as I am aware) descendant of that political theory. UN Human Rights declaration has as its immediate political theory ancestor the US Declaration of Independence.