An Agreement to Rule by Consent of the Governed Was Demonstrated in the

An Agreement to Rule by Consent of the Governed: Demonstrated in the Declaration of Independence

The concept of a government deriving its authority from the consent of the governed is a fundamental principle of modern democracy. This principle has its roots in the Enlightenment era and was first articulated in the late 17th century by English philosopher John Locke, who argued that governments should exist only with the consent of the people they govern. This idea was later adopted by American leaders like Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

The Declaration of Independence is a powerful statement of the principle of government by consent. In the opening paragraph, Jefferson writes that “when in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature`s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

This language asserts that governments have no inherent right to rule, and that power should be derived from the people themselves. The Declaration goes on to list numerous examples of the British government`s abuses of power, which justified the American colonists` decision to declare independence.

One of the most famous passages in the Declaration refers to the inalienable rights of all people, including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This language, grounded in Locke`s theory of natural rights, asserts that governments have an obligation to protect these rights, and that their power should be exercised only with the consent of the governed.

Overall, the Declaration of Independence is a powerful demonstration of the idea that governments should derive their authority from the consent of the governed. This principle is now an integral part of democratic theory, and is enshrined in numerous national constitutions and international declarations of human rights. The Declaration remains a testament to the enduring power of this idea, and its central role in the development of modern democracy.