America’s 250th Anniversary, Part Three — The Declaration of Independence

Editor's note: This is the third in a five-part series of essays on American history by Uyless Black.

Today, we examine perhaps the most significant document written in modern times: the Declaration of Independence. Of course, all of us have been indoctrinated about the greatness of the Declaration and its contribution to the greatness of America.

Below are key ideas of Locke that Jefferson placed in the document.

Locke: In several of his works, Locke emphasized that legitimate government is derived from the consent of the governed. He rejected the so-called divine right of kings, which had held sway over the human race for centuries. It was a dangerous stance to take in those times. Locke fled to the Netherlands from England to safeguard his security.

The Declaration: “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

Locke: “Being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.” In other words: Give others their just due, and expect the same from others.

The Declaration: “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.” In other words: Give others their just due and expect the same from others.

Locke: He made it clear he was in favor of revolution if a government did not protect natural rights. He said the people have the right to alter or abolish those in power. Natural rights were rights to life, liberty, and property. According to Locke, they were part of every human from the time of birth.

The Declaration: “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.” King George III of England did not take kindly to this challenge to centuries of monarchical rule. 

Locke: “The great and chief end, therefore, of men’s uniting into commonwealths, and putting themselves under government, is the preservation of their property.” In Locke’s days, property was mostly land held by a few. He believed everyone’s labor entitled them to have property.

The Declaration: The founding fathers were wise not to include the subject of property in the Declaration. Locke’s theories about labor and property (called the labor theory of property) were not aligned with the egalitarian Declaration. The royal crown of England had granted (essentially given) the large tracts of land (property) to the upper class of affluent men as well as British companies. (Much smaller tracts were allotted to less-enfranchised people.) Discussing property in the Declaration would not have been in keeping with the equality spirit of the document.

The Bottom Line

However, Locke was clear that he believed all men were naturally equal from their birth, and should be treated accordingly. His idea is found in the second paragraph of the Declaration, containing its most famous sentence, which was quoted earlier.

“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.”

These are powerful words and potent ideas. They have been embraced by many people and nations from the time they became known in the Declaration of Independence.