Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, 1791
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, 1791
As I read through the document, I was struck by several things about the rights being demanded. One thing is that almost all of the rights are based on the belief that every individual, by virtue of humanity, is entitled to certain human rights, including the rights of resistance to oppression, private property, liberty, and the inviolability of the person (Class notes, n.d.). Another thing is that the scope and claim of rights being demanded to go beyond the traditional models that were based on individual groups, and they incorporate principles that are majorly fundamental to man and hence universally applicable. Besides, the rights being demanded bring a feeling that they are explainable as an attack on the pre-revolutionary monarchial and dictatorial regime that existed in ancient times. Therefore, the call for equality before the law brought out by rights demanded was meant to replace the system of privileges that characterized the ancient political regime.
Meanwhile, article seven or 15 indicates that historically, the ancient political leaders used to treat their subjects with disrespect and inhumanity. Historically subjects of a political kingdom were most often subjected to false accusations and unjustified arrest or imprisonment because they were termed powerless in front of their leaders and had no right to prove their innocence in any manner. The articles also indicate that historically, leaders might have gotten used to directing offenses done under their watch to their subordinates to escape accountability. That is why article 15 endorses a society with a right of requiring every public agent to be held liable for his or her administration to make leading individuals watchful of their followers’ actions to avoid shift of claims (Class notes, n.d.). Therefore, the articles emphasize the need for judicial procedures to be insisted upon to avert abuses by the political leaders or their administration. Generally, the rights being demanded signify a call for all people to have social and political democracy.
References
Class notes (n.d.). Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, 1791