| Thomas
Jefferson's "The Declaration
of Independence" is a world
famous political manifesto in
which Jefferson revolutionary
vision is expressed, related
to natural human rights, the
birth of government and the
functions of the government.
The declaration of independence
was not written as essay in
the beginning, it was a political
speech delivered by Jefferson
in the meeting of the continental
congress and later it was printed
as an essay. In this writing,
Jefferson describes about the
law of nature and says that
nature has created all men equal
and freedom is the blessing
of all human beings.
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In
other words, he says
that naturally, all
men are created equal
and all have the natural
rights of life, liberty
and pursuit of happiness.
The right of life, the
right of protecting
life, right of liberty,
is the right of enjoying
freedom and the right
of happiness means the
right of searching happiness
to everyone. In Jefferson’s
opinion all of us have
such rights that are
given by nature so these
rights are also called
unalienable rights of
the people. For the
protection or preservation
of such unalienable
rights, individuals
make consent of forming
an organization, which
is the formation of
the government. |
He says that to protect life,
liberty and happiness people
make an agreement among themselves
and they form a government,
which would preserve their rights.
This concept of government discussed
by Jefferson is similar with
the product of social contract
theory. What Jefferson further
says that government can be
autocratic or despotic, and
it may not become the preserver
or protector of human rights.
If a government does not become
the preserver of these means,
if it becomes despotic, people
have their right to abolish
such government and form another
government. They have also becomes
despotic. Primarily the government
should preserve the inalienable
human rights which is the primary
or basic function of government.
The secondary function of the
government is that it should
establish diplomatic relationship
with other states or cut off
the existing relationships.
Jefferson believes on the supreme
power of people and he believes
on revolutions. He thinks that
the revolution of the people
can abolish the despotic government
and they can form the true preserver
of human rights. So this concept
is also called Jefferson’s
revolutionary vision.
After
making this theory about unalienable
human rights and the functions
of the British colonial government
in America under the kingship
of George III, this government
is criticized by Jefferson in
different ways. For example,
it was the despotic government
and it was not formed by the
consent of the people, it did
not represent the people. It
did not protect or preserve
the inalienable rights of the
people. Instead of giving protection
of life, the colonial government
destroyed the life of the people,
it suppressed the people and
it seized the happiness of the
people. This government had
destroyed the ports in America,
people were levied heavy taxation,
the economic source of the people
were exploited, machinery was
hired to operate the people
and false closed laws were registered
against the American people,
who did not support the government
of George III. Similarly, Jefferson
also criticizes the colonial
government, which has also dismissed
the senates, the representatives
of the people, the judges of
the courts, and it caused communal
war between black and white
Americans. Based on so many
despotic activities of this
government, he declares that
America should get independence
of colonial government and requested
American people to revolt against
the colony. As a result, thirteen
American states declared independence
in 1776 and one after another
all the American states got
independence so that the colonial
government was abolished and
America got independence. Since
then Jefferson has became an
independent democratic leader
who has become the III president
of America and the leader of
Democratic Party in America.
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