The Declaration of Independence is the basic legal instrument that serves as the background in forming the equality of the society and protecting its rights. The Declarations presupposes all human beings to be treated equally and possess equal natural rights. According to the basic principles of the Declaration, the humankind has been created by God to be equal at all times. As it has been stated by Lincoln, equality is an abstract truth, so every man must be treated equally in the society. As the Declaration is a legal instrument, it predetermines the Government to be responsible for the protection and support of the human equality in the society (Jefferson 5).
In fact, the Declaration states that the humankind has been created by God and has been given all the natural rights. It means that these rights are not dependent on the law, they are inalienable and universal. The notions of equality and natural rights are in close connection because the humankind has its Creator who provides every man with natural rights, and this process is not interfered with any government or legal law. In its basis, natural law presupposes the principle of human equality, and the government with its legal law is responsible for protecting natural equality of the society.
Natural rights predetermine preservation of life, liberty, and happiness for every human being. Under the influence of the basic principle of equality, modern concept of equality complements the classical idea of equal opportunities for every man (Ford). The idea of creating equal opportunities for the members of the society derives from the basic principles of the natural law. So, there is the social aspect of equality. In order to provide such opportunities, the government and legal law must ensure fair distribution of social wealth among every member of equal society. Fair distribution of social benefits does not require their equal distribution, but rather presupposes the principle of equal opportunities necessary to protect the rights for life, liberty and happiness (Donald).
The history of the humankind proves that sometimes the government does not protect the natural rights of the mankind, and as a result, the society fights for preserving these rights. The right to revolution is an inalienable right of people to get rid of their rulers, change their policies or implement radical reforms, by force or general uprising, when legal and constitutional methods of these changes are inadequate or expose obstruction (The Founders’ Constitution 13).
At the present stage of the society development, there is also the right to revolt and is considered natural. When the government uses excessive force, people obtain the right to defend themselves. Each of the members of the society has the right to defend themselves. This right means that people can turn everything upside down, set another order, select new or better government and start from scratch (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). The right to revolt as a violent form of resistance is regarded as the equivalent of the constitutional right to self-defense, extreme means which is applied in the case of failure to effectively protect human rights through other legal mechanisms that are implemented in a democratic regime.
The protection of human rights comes from the American society that was the first to fight for the right for life, liberty and happiness. In the course of this struggle America has become the mother of democracy that is based on the principle of human equality and human rights protection. The analytical analysis proves that in the course of the society development the government is responsible for defending human rights. If the government violates its duty of rights protection, the society may easily become the defender of their own rights and organize a revolution in order to preserve the absolute truth of equality.
Works Cited:
Donald, James. Natural Law and Natural Rights. Natural Rights. (2003). Oxford University Press. Web. 12 Jun. 2016.
Ford, Steven. John Locke and the Natural Law and Natural Rights Tradition. Natural Law Tradition. (2011). Witherspoon Institute. Web. 12 Jun. 2016.
Jefferson, Thomas. The Declaration of Independence. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. (1776): 33 p. National Constitution Center. Web. 12 Jun. 2016.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Locke's Political Philosophy. Natural Law and Natural Rights. (2005). Stanford University Press. Web. 12 Jun. 2016.
The Founders’ Constitution. Right of Revolution. Right to Revolt. (2000): 125 p. The University of Chicago Press. Web. 12 Jun. 2016.
