The theory of social contract in political philosophy is credited to thinkers like John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. These philosophers theorized that individuals consent, either explicitly or implicitly, to form societies and governments in exchange for protection of their rights. The social contract posits that legitimacy of authority derives from the consent of the governed and shapes discussions about democracy and individual liberties through history. Their ideas continue to influence modern political thought and theories of governance.