John Locke, in his 'Two Treatises of Government,' laid the philosophical groundwork for the right to revolution, profoundly influencing later democratic thought. He argued that government is founded on a social contract, where individuals consent to be governed in exchange for the protection of their natural rights: life, liberty, and property. The legitimacy of government, therefore, derives from the consent of the governed. If a government acts contrary to the trust placed in it by the people – by violating their natural rights, abusing its power, or attempting to establish absolute rule – it breaks the social contract. In such a scenario, Locke contended that the people retain the ultimate sovereign power and have a moral right, and even a duty, to resist and overthrow that tyrannical government. This right to revolution is not to be exercised lightly but as a last resort when all other avenues for redress have failed, and the government has demonstrated a consistent pattern of oppression. Locke's ideas provided a powerful justification for the Glorious Revolution in England and later inspired the American and French Revolutions.