Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence

In his Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson gives reasoning for the separation of the Colonies from Britian. Jefferson begins his argument by stating a number of different "truths". The first f these "truths" is that "all men are created equal", which is followed by the idea that all men also have  "unalienanble rights" of which the government cannot interfere with but can only protect. Jefferson expands his idea of government by stating that all power from the government comes directly from the people. The government is only as powerful as its people allow it to be, and as such the people are the ones who actually have the power, not the leaders. Jefferson then merges these two ideas, of the power of the people and "unalienable rights", and states that when a government begins to prevent or act against a people's rights then the people not only have the power but also the obligation to overthrow that government. Next, Jefferson begins to talk about suffering and how the Colonies suffered under the rule of the king. Jefferson compares the king of Britian to a Tyrant and follows his claim with a list of "proof" of his tyranny. The contents of this list mainly deal with a list of complaints against King George for: working to crush proper government and representation efforts (silencing the voice of the people), housing a strong and oppressive military force in America without need or consent, established an ineffective jury system (for the colonies), forcing oppressive government and taxation (without consent or representation), and finally for (intigating and) preforming acts of war against the colonies. After this list Jefferson continues to try to show that he has the just side, by saying that throughout all of Britian's offences America continually asked and petitioned for her to stop but Britian refused. Therefore because of such troubles, Jefferson states that America had no choice but to finally separate from Britian and declare its independence. Jefferson concludes his Declaration of Independence by declaring the United States to be independent of Britian and also by declaring the union of each of the signers and the states they represent. The United States are after this point free and independent of foreign powers but also united in fate.

Much of Kant's and Paine's ideas are seen in the Declaration if Independence. Kant's ideas of Enlightenment and "self-incured tutelage" can be seen by Jefferson's idea of how the people have power. Again Kant's idea of "self-incurred tutelage" states that men bind themselves intellectually through ignorance and laziness. According to Kant men have the power and the obligation to free them selves of their bondage and to move toward "Enlightenment". These ideas of "self-incured tutelage" and "Enlightenment" are similar to Jefferson's idea of the power of the people. According to Jefferson, government only has as much power as its people will give to it. Government is a tool used for the benefit of people and when it becomes oppressive then the people have not only the power but also the obligation to overthrow the government and then to re-establish it in a better form. Finally, Thomas Paine's argument of Common Sense compares with Jefferson's justification for separation. Paine writes about the problems and oppressions that Britian continues to use against America with. For these oppressions, Paine writes that it is entirely obvious that America should separate from Britian, and anyone who disagrees either is ignorant or dishonest. Jefferson uses much of the same reasoning, comparing the king to a tyrant, and stating that his acts of oppression were unstandable. The final and additional reason Jefferson claims for separating with Britian was the fact that throughout all of the oppression American colonists tried to warn King George to stop his tyranny, but he refused. Therefore because of the British oppression and refusal to listen to reason, it is the obligation of America to separate from Britian in order to establish a better government.

In response to reading Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence, one could ask the question: If it is the right of men to remove bad government, then what can they do if they government they can establish is equally bad should they still work to remove the first government?