Abstract In this paper, the writer examines the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen," written by the National Assembly in 1789. The writer discusses that the Declaration laid out a series of basic assumptions about the natural rights of man. Further, the writer contends that Baron de Montesquieu, writing 30 years earlier, would have agreed and disagreed with some of the basic premises of the Declaration.
From the Paper "The 'Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen' written by the deputies of the National Assembly in 1789 lays out in seventeen articles a new vision of government, in which protection of the natural rights replaced the will of the king as the justification for authority. Thirty-one years prior Baron de Montesquieu published his work 'The Spirit of the Laws' in which he attempts to explain human laws and social institutions. In many respects Montesquieu's thought foreshadowed later political projects most notably the drafting of ... "
Tags: natural rights, french revolution, 1789, Declaration of the rights of man and citizen, montesquieu
Abstract In this article the writer discusses the 1789 "Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen". The writer looks at which of its provisions Montesquieu would endorse and which he would criticize. In this paper, the writer discusses his thinking on liberty, democracy and security.
From the Paper "... when the deputies of the National Assembly in France composed the 'Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen' the goal was to establish once and for all solemn declaration of the natural inalienable and sacred rights of man. These rights universal immutable and self-evident were intended to advance the cause of personal liberty and stem the tides of tyranny. In this the National Assembly was applying the wisdom of the Enlightenment to concrete matters of governance, advancing the legacy of the philosophes that ... "
Tags: enlightenment, declaration of the rights fo man and citizen, montesquieu, natural rights
Abstract This paper explains that, unlike the United States' Bill of Rights, the French Declaration of Rights was written first, as a statement to the French people of the supreme guarantee of rights and as a symbol of liberty and egalitarianism, which was modeled after the beliefs of the American Constitution. The author points out that the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen ensured freedom to a society under absolute rule and outlined the basic fundamental principles enjoyed by a free society: No longer is the power invested in the king but in the people. The paper stresses that the National Assembly disjoined politics and religion because they considered the Catholic Church to be an enemy of liberty, a power that would try to revoke what the Declaration had just guaranteed.
From the Paper "In declaring sovereignty for the French, the declaration was a loose interpretation of what America had scripted fifteen years earlier. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776, to break colonial allegiance with Great Britain. The document asserts the right to be free and independent states, where under a fair government there is a promise for man's entitlement to independence. Such beliefs have a direct correlation with what the French conveyed in their declaration. Jefferson wrote, "...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" (Brophy 190). This line is almost identical to the one found in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen."
Abstract The paper explores whether the principles in the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen" were for the better or for the worse of the French people and the French Revolution. The paper examines the progressive ideas of the Declaration as well as its essentially bourgeois nature that withheld freedom of assembly and liberty of association from the masses. The paper then assesses the role of the Declaration in the development of modern ideologies, including liberalism, nationalism and socialism, that all came about as a result of the French Revolution. The paper concludes that the historical, political and humanistic significance of the Declaration of Rights is of paramount importance in the law and political thought of the following centuries.
Outline:
Introduction
The Declaration as Embodiment of the Enlightenment Ideas
The Role of the Declaration in the Development of Modern Ideologies
Conclusion
From the Paper The Declaration contains no word about actual realization by people of their civil freedoms proclaimed in it, which is typical for all bourgeois constitutional documents. The Declaration withholds freedom of assembly and liberty of association due to the bourgeoisie's fear of excited revolutionary masses. Any professional associations were treated negatively, as they were considered to be vestiges of the guild system and to hinder individual liberty. These thoughts and attitudes were soon clearly expressed in the Le Chapelier law of June 14, 1791 that barred any craft guilds and trade unions.
"The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (hereafter "the Declaration") was issued on August 26, 1789 to declare the future principles of the first French constitution when it should be completed and to be embodied as its preamble. The distinction between a constitution - an established system of government - and a declaration of rights was carefully laid down. In order to prepare a good constitution, it was "necessary to recognize the rights which natural justice grants to every individual, to recall all those principles which must form the basis of every kind of society." The text of the Declaration was prepared by the members of the Constitutional Committee, and signed by the king, though under duress. The content of the Declaration was ideologically influenced by the American Bills of Rights , remonstrations of the parliament of the times of ancient regime crisis, and ideas of the National Assembly. Its text consists of a short preamble, which states that ignorance, disregard or contempt of natural, inalienable and sacred rights of man are the sole causes of public misfortunes and governmental corruption;
"French Revolution of 1789-1799 was thus a culmination of the Enlightenment philosophy. By the 1780's, the absolute French monarchy was in overall crisis due to political and financial collapse, complemented by establishment of the "third estate" as a new socially active power. The French Revolution comprised a series of events that transformed the political, social, and ideological atmosphere of modern Europe. These events were set in motion when the aristocracy, refusing to be taxed, made it necessary for King Louis XVI to revive the moribund Estates-General in the spring of 1789. Few suspected that this decision would unleash elemental and irresistible forces of discontent. Although they had different ends in view, aristocrats, bourgeois, sans-culottes (the urban poor), and peasants were united in their determination to alter the conditions of their existence. Accompanying this assertion of self-interest was a body of abstract ideas of Enlightenment that gave direction to revolutionary energies. When the National Assembly promulgated the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen in August 1789, "it intended to serve notice to the rest of Europe that it had discovered universally valid principles of government."
"Philosophers and enlighteners of the XVIII century undermined the foundations of their contemporary states where political power and enormous share of wealth belonged to nobility and clergy, while masses were impoverished. They proclaimed supremacy of reason instead of faith or tradition, and advocated faith in human nature, confidence that humans will be able to manifest their good qualities when they are given freedom and justice is restored. Ideas of equity of all humans, of duty of all citizens whether a king or a peasant to obey the law established by representatives of the people, free contracts between people exempt from feudal duty and serfdom - all these demands of philosophers united and penetrated into masses of the French people paved the way to the fall of ancient regime in their minds."
Abstract This paper argues that the document "The Declaration of Man and Citizen" accurately represents Rousseau concept of the social contract and that it had a foremost influence on the intellectual development of the French Revolution. The paper concludes that Rousseau would have agreed to most of the articles in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, as it ensures both liberty and equality among men, two of the most fundamental concept in Rousseau's political philosophy.
From the Paper "In his masterpiece "The Social Contract" Rousseau proposes solutions of the problems he diagnosed in his "Origins of Civil Society" and ?Discourse on Inequality". With the famous phrase "man is born free, but he is everyone in chains," Rousseau states that the modern nations in which royal entities repress the freedom of the ordinary people are in actuality suppressing their natural rights and thus forsake their civil rights. According to Rousseau the only solution to the problems is to form a social contract, which is agreed upon by all the members of the society, whether rich or poor."
Abstract This paper explains the similarities and differences between the Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man, showing the emphasis in that document for liberty, equality and fraternity. It looks at the different purposes of the American and the French revolutions.
From the Paper "The French Revolution was basically to end political injustice from within while the American Revolution focused on obtaining freedom from the original mother country ..."
Tags:Declaration of Independence, Declaration of the Rights of Man, The Third Estate, loyalists, Washington, Jefferson, Robespierre
Abstract The document known as the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" was written for the purpose of delineating the rights that every individual is entitled to. This paper examines what inspired its author, Frenchman le Marquis de La Fayette, to pen the document in 1789. It also looks at the main points of the declaration, its intentions and the language used.
From the Paper "Besides defining what the basic role of government should be, the declaration gives citizens the ability to hold government liable for its actions. Article 6 gives all citizens the right to participate in the lawmaking process, either directly or through their representatives. Citizens are also given the right to keep public officials held accountable for the actions of their administration as stated in Article 15. Much of the declaration's principles express the importance that must be shown towards maintaining the rights of individuals."
Tags: French, National, Assembly, War, of, Independence, Declaration, monarchy, aristocracy
Abstract This paper discusses that the Rights of Man, France's Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was written in 1789. The author points out that it signaled an end to royal prerogative and a beginning, at the state level, of the consideration of individual rights in France. The paper relates that, as the French Revolution ended the reign of the Bourbons and the power and prerogatives of the monarchy; freedom, liberty and equality for each citizen became the revolutionary goal of the French people.
From the Paper "In 1789, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen signaled an end to royal prerogative and a beginning, at the state level, of the consideration of individual rights in France. As the French Revolution ended the reign of the Bourbons and the power and prerogatives of the monarchy; freedom, liberty, and equality for each citizen became the revolutionary goal of the French people. In carefully considering the key aspects of the Declaration in the context of seventeenth and eighteenth-century political, social and/or literary thought, it is evident that one key aspect stands out above the rest--that men are born with inalienable and equal human rights."
Abstract "The Declaration of Independence" by 13 British North American colonies in 1776 and the ?Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens? passed by the National Assembly of France in 1789 are two of the most important documents ever written in the history of Western Civilization. This paper shows how both the documents were greatly influenced by the Age of Enlightenment and the thoughts of philosophers such as the 17th century Englishman John Locke and the leading French philosopher of the time, Jean Jacques Rousseau. This essay is a comparison of the two documents.
From the Paper "Although The Declaration of Independence (1776) was basically a proclamation of freedom by American colonists from British rule, it was also a statement of principle about the natural and inalienable rights of men and contained a list of grievances against the British monarch of the time, King George III. The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens adopted 13 years later in France, on the other hand, was not a proclamation of independence from foreign rule and did not contain grievances against any ruler?it was, however, similar to the American Declaration of Independence in many ways. The similarity of the two documents is not surprising. Although the main author of the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens was Abbe Emmanuel Sieyes, French priest and revolutionary, it is widely believed that its first draft was written one month earlier by the Marquis de Lafayette with help from Thomas Jefferson, who was a personal friend of Lafayette and a US minister to France at the time. Thomas Jefferson is, of course, the main author of the Declaration of Independence."
Compares "The Declaration of the Rights of Man" (Jean-Jacques Rousseau and others) to Bishop Jacques Bossuet's "Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Holy Scripture".
837 words (approx. 3.3 pages), 2 sources, 2002, $ 29.95
Abstract The ideologies presented in "The Declaration of the Rights of Man" and "Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Holy Scripture are vastly different, due to one being a staunch defense and declaration of the rights of all men as juxtaposed with the second which concerns the inherent, God-given rights of the sovereign king or queen to rule over their subjects. The paper shows that the "Declaration", approved by the National Assembly of France on August 26, 1789 while the French Revolution was well underway, reflects the radical revolutionary ideals of the ordinary French citizen by conveying the democratic ideals drawn for the most part from Rousseau and other figures of the Enlightenment. In essence, this document declares that the laws of democracy are supreme and that the reigning monarch cannot enforce so-called sovereign laws that severely restrict the natural liberties of the citizenry. The paper shows that, in contrast, the ideologies expressed by Bishop Jacques Bossuet (1627-1704) argue that the government was divinely ordained and that the monarchy was the most natural ruling entity, due to God's establishment of kings who received their power and wisdom from God, thus making them the absolute authority figure and subject to no human laws except for those ordained by God.
From the Paper "Every article contained in the ?Declaration of the Rights of Men,? being seventeen in total, contradict Bossuet's "theory of Absolutism" which holds that the sovereign power in a state rest in the hands of the king who rules by the "divine" right of God. Article one states that "men are born and remain free and equal in rights" which is very reminiscent of the main principle of the ?Declaration of Independence,? written some thirteen years before the ?Declaration of the Rights of Men.? This statement goes completely against the power of the high nobility with their immense estates and land holdings which were conferred upon them by the monarchy. Since all men are ?born and remain free and equal,? the nobility would find it increasingly difficult to maintain their authority which originated during the early days of the Medieval period when feudalism was the general practice."
A comparison of "The Declaration of the Rights of Women" by Olympe de Gouges, and "The Declaration of the Rights of Man, approved by the National Assembly of France, August 26, 1789 ."
Abstract This paper discusses "The Declaration of the Rights of Man" written in 1789 and discusses how the ideals described in the work were seen to apply to men and women equally. The paper then compares this work to Olympe de Gouges' work "Declaration of the Rights of Women" written in 1791. It describes de Gouges' view of "The Declaration of the Rights of Man" and the changes made in the newer declaration.
Table of Contents:
"The Declaration of the Rights of Women" versus "The Declaration of the Rights of Man"
Conclusion: Enlightenment Optimism
From the Paper "De Gouges stresses a social contract that reinforces happiness, a happy government that is mutually agreed upon by both genders. She does not deny the need for law, although her system of law has aims of societal engineering, rather than merely protecting rights, as articulated in the first declaration. Despite her cynicism about the current relationship between the genders, even in her tract one can see the enlightenment optimism that rejected the ideas that human nature is flawed by original sin, a faith-based doctrine. If only humanity throws away its erroneous attitudes about bastardy and the inequality of women, then humanity is perfectible, just as the "Declaration of the Rights of Man" suggested that humanity's supposed tendency towards evil and error was rooted in constraint, rather than a lack of constraint. By eliminating bad laws, humanity's innate democratic goodness would emerge."
Abstract This paper looks at the history of U.S. military engagement since the end of WWII, with particular emphasis on the Persian Gulf War of 1990. It points out that Congress has not formally declared war since December 11, 1941, against Germany and that, during the course of the last several decades in United States history, the citizens of the U.S. have been continually forced into war without a formal declaration of war supported by the U.S. Congress. The paper then discusses the War Powers Act, which has made it possible for Congress to avoid making actual declarations of war while still permitting major military engagements such as the Persian Gulf War.
From the Paper "Congress has not formally declared war since December 11, 1941 against Germany in response to a formal Declaration of War by Germany against the U.S. (Paul, 2002). When Congress does formally declare war, a task that requires small effort on the part of representatives, an enemy is clearly defined and the task at hand is readily made clear. A clear cut victory is also expected as was the case of the Declaration of war against Germany and Japan. During the course of the last several decades in United States history, the citizens of the U.S. have been continually forced into war without a formal declaration of war supported by the U.S. Congress. The most recent example prior to 2003 of this was the war started in the Persian Gulf. Such action taken by the president of the U.S. exemplifies the pomposity and overbearing authority the president has placed upon himself over the citizens of this country."
Abstract This paper discusses the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and the occurrences that lead the Continental Congress to take action. It further discusses Thomas Jefferson's views in writing the document, and his belief that no man should be overpowered by a country that disregarded his freedom. The paper then discusses the changes in the original document, and the reasons that those changes were made.
From the Paper "At the time of the writing of the Declaration of Independence the 13 American colonies, (known as British-America) were holding conventions of the colony leaders. These colony leaders were known as the Committees of Correspondence ("Declaration"). Within these committees the leaders were attempting to make decisions on the future of the people that they represented. However, the colonies, and the people who inhabited them, where all still under the control of the British government and the crown. The British government imposed severe taxes on all merchandise from British-America, including tea. Furthermore, the British rulers upheld their laws in British- America by exporting offenders to England, where they were to be tried and convicted of crimes against the crown ("Declaration"). Therefore, the committees drafted letters that detailed their thoughts on issues of the day, and those letters were carried between the colonies to be disbursed."
Abstract This paper presents a close look at three classic movies. The author of this paper addresses all "Casablanca", "The Third Man" and "Citizen Kane" and items including photography, movement, editing and sound are all analyzed and critiqued..
Abstract This is a report on Don Nardo's book "The Declaration of Independence: A Model for Individual Rights". The book presents the Declaration in both a historical and philosophical light, pointing out in various revisions of the Declaration, what elements have survived into present-day American moral beliefs, and which have been abandoned or altered. The paper also discusses the taxation and military occupation that instigated the American Revolution.
