Why is people's consent such an important argument in favour of democracy?

Correct answer: Because it gives democratic legitimacy to governance

The direct answer is Option B: it gives democratic legitimacy to governance. People’s consent matters because a government should not rule merely through force, family privilege, money, or silence. Step by step: citizens express their preferences; elections and public participation show consent; leaders receive authority from that consent; the government is therefore democratically legitimate. Option A is wrong because consent does not make power hereditary; hereditary rule passes power through a family. Option B is correct because it states the exact link between consent and legitimacy. Option C is wrong because democracy encourages citizens to speak, not become silent. Option D is wrong because elections remain necessary for choosing and judging representatives. Consent may be expressed in elections, but it does not remove the need for elections. Memory cue: people’s consent is the foundation of legitimate democratic rule.