governados

Governados is a term used in Portuguese to refer to the people or population that are subjected to the authority and laws of a government. It denotes the subjects within a political order who are governed, as distinct from those who govern (governantes) or the institutions that hold power. The word works as a neutral descriptor of the person or people who live under governance rather than an adjective for a specific regime.

Etymologically, governados is formed from governar (to govern) with the suffix -ado, yielding a collective noun or participial adjective meaning “those who are governed.” In plural feminine form, governadas can be used to reflect gender in language, though the masculine plural governados is often used generically.

In political theory, the concept of the governados is central to discussions of legitimacy, consent, and accountability. The legitimacy of a government is commonly linked to the consent of the governed, a core idea in social contract theories by thinkers such as Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. The governed are protected by rights and the rule of law, and they may act to influence governance through participation, representation, or protest. The relationship between governados and governantes raises questions about sovereignty, civic duties, and the mechanisms by which power is constrained and justified.

See also: popular sovereignty, social contract, rule of law, civil rights, political representation.