Consent theory should be seen as a distinctive philosophical position, one standing in opposition to other traditions which find the polity or political rule to be natural or would see government and law as justified by their benefits. The mutual advantage, Paretian tradition and different types of consequentialism. Seek to base full legitimacy in what the polity does for its subjects and others (for the former see J. Buchanan, 1975. Gauthier. 1986), other, more ‘ participatory’ traditions might require active involvement by citizenry for legitimacy. Political consentualism should not be conflated with these other traditions, however closely associated they may be historically. and it should certainly not be confuse with other allegedly ‘consensual" theories base legitimacy on consensus agreement.