Who argued that government exist because people allow them to exist?

The idea that governments exist because people allow them to exist is often associated with social contract theorists, particularly john Locke. Locke argued that legitimate government is based on the consent of the governed, where individuals agree to form a society and establish a government to protect their natural rights. This concept emphasizes that the authority of the government derives from the will of the people, highlighting the importance of individual rights and freedoms in the foundation of political power.