Who said that a government should be chosen by the citizens?

The idea that a government should be chosen by the citizens is a fundamental principle of democracy, articulated by philosophers such as john Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Locke emphasized the importance of consent in governance, while Rousseau famously stated that "the general will" reflects the collective choice of the people. These concepts laid the groundwork for modern democratic systems, where citizens have the right to elect their leaders.