A recent topic got me to read once again one of my favorite of the founding fathers and even some of the other documents from what I consider the most important development in the concept of rights.
Now yes of course its only my opinion - for what it counts. One of my favorite documents is the Declaration of Independence especially this line of it.
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/Originally Posted by Declaration of Independence
This is closely followed by the works of Thomas Paine especially Common Sense and Rights of Man
Now Common Sense while an interesting read is not revelant to this discussion - and its available as an e-document on several sites on the internet. However The Rights of Man is revelant to the discussion that I wish to partake in.
http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/p/p147r/
Several passages in the text require one to actually think about the content and the context of Paine's message concerning the Rights of Man that was put forth to the National Assembly in France during the French Revolution.
This is so valid and true even in today's modern world.The circumstances of the world are continually changing, and the opinions of men change also; and as government is for the living, and not for the dead, it is the living only that has any right in it. That which may be thought right and found convenient in one age may be thought wrong and found inconvenient in another. In such cases, who is to decide, the living or the dead?
What is important to read is the French Declaration of the Rights of Man from the French Revolution time period - its included in the text of Thomas Paine's text.While the Declaration of Rights was before the National Assembly some of its members remarked that if a declaration of rights were published it should be accompanied by a Declaration of Duties. The observation discovered a mind that reflected, and it only erred by not reflecting far enough. A Declaration of Rights is, by reciprocity, a Declaration of Duties also. Whatever is my right as a man is also the right of another; and it becomes my duty to guarantee as well as to possess
I especially like this concept - since I strongly believe in this being a fundmental aspect of government
Governments have power because man allows the government to have power. What Thomas Paine was most fearful of in his writtings about governments has come to be - if we delagate to much power to the government it begins to assume power it should not have.All power exercised over a nation, must have some beginning. It must either be delegated or assumed. There are no other sources. All delegated power is trust, and all assumed power is usurpation. Time does not alter the nature and quality of either.
And interesting read is the chapter that this bit comes from.In contemplating a subject that embraces with equatorial magnitude the whole region of humanity it is impossible to confine the pursuit in one single direction. It takes ground on every character and condition that appertains to man, and blends the individual, the nation, and the world. From a small spark, kindled in America, a flame has arisen not to be extinguished. Without consuming, like the Ultima Ratio Regum, it winds its progress from nation to nation, and conquers by a silent operation. Man finds himself changed, he scarcely perceives how. He acquires a knowledge of his rights by attending justly to his interest, and discovers in the event that the strength and powers of despotism consist wholly in the fear of resisting it, and that, in order "to be free, it is sufficient that he wills it."
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