Declaration of Independence
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness."1
The preceding quote is the start of the second paragraph of the American Declaration of Independence, a document officially severing the thirteen colonies from Great Britain. In it, the early modern idea that the government’s power comes from the people is directly articulated, showing that this is a foundational idea of the United States and, thus, Western democracy. It also justifies the colonists’ actions through Locke’s belief in the right of resistance against injustice. As the text continues, the authors articulate that this is a choice of last resort as the Americans suffering had grown to great to ignore any longer.2 This, again, comes from Locke and his ideas that the consent of the people can be withdrawn in the face of abuse.
The biggest deviation from Locke’s Second Treatise and previous American texts is the change from life, liberty, and property to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—meaning opportunity. In this, the framers decided to expand protected rights to include the promise of a future, something that begins to show the hints of inherent human dignity. Instead of just protecting the property of a person—something many people did not have—the Declaration implies that people have the right to improve and advance themselves. This thus expands what civil society is meant to promote and protect, promising one in which people can envision a better tomorrow.
1. Thomas Jefferson, et al, The Declaration of Independence. 04 July 1776. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mtjbib000159/
2. ibid.