Quotes from the Declaration of Independence about Social Contract: Here are some key quotes from the Declaration of Independence that highlight the concept of the social contract:
Quotes from the Declaration of Independence about Social Contract
- “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.”
- This quote emphasizes the concept of unalienable rights endowed by a higher power and forms the foundation of the social contract theory, where individuals possess inherent rights.
- “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”
- This phrase underscores that the purpose of government is to safeguard rights, and its legitimacy is derived from the consent of the governed, aligning with the social contract theory.
- “…whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
- This quote embodies the social contract principle that individuals have the right and duty to change or overthrow a government that fails to protect their rights and well-being.
- “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.”
- This passage acknowledges the deliberation involved in altering a government, while recognizing the inclination of people to endure suffering under a tolerable government.
- “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government…”
- Here, the Declaration articulates the obligation of the people to resist and overthrow a despotic government that betrays the social contract by becoming tyrannical.
These quotes from the Declaration of Independence illustrate the influence of the social contract theory on the document’s foundational principles and its rationale for asserting independence from British rule. The concept of individuals entering into a contract with their government, whereby the government guarantees certain rights in exchange for the people’s allegiance, underpins the philosophical underpinnings of the American Revolution and the birth of the United States.
Steve George is Blogger, a marketer and content writer. He has B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington. Read more about Mzuri Mag.