Declaration of Independence the Theory of Government

Declaration of Independence

The Theory of Government presented in the Declaration

The author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson was greatly influenced by the political thoughts of the 17th century English philosopher John Locke and other thinkers of the European Age of Enlightenment. The theory of government presented in the Declaration is largely based on the political philosophy of Natural Rights that maintains that each individual enters a society with certain basic rights that no government can deny. The Declaration terms these Natural Rights as unalienable rights given to them by God, including the right of "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

The document goes on to assert that all men are created equal and in order to acquire and keep these natural rights, they have a right to form a Government that derives its powers only from the consent of the people. It closely reflects John Locke's argument that the government is a contract between the governed and the governing, and its main purpose is to protect every man's inherent right to life, liberty, and property.

The Declaration also proclaims that if a Government fails in its main function, i.e., protection of the life, liberty and happiness of its people, then the people have a right to change the government. It is recognized by the author(s) of the document that such a change is not to be attempted for trivial reasons, but becomes necessary when the government starts to work against the interests of its people and when all possible attempts to rectify the situation have been exhausted.

Grievances against the King

The long list of grievances listed against King George III in the Declaration of Independence can be categorized in different ways, but in my view they are most appropriately divided in the following four categories:

Political: Most of the grievances mentioned in the Declaration are of a political nature. For example, the document accuses the King of not accepting Laws passed by the local governments; of not letting the Governors of colonies pass laws of pressing importance, and delaying his consent for rectification of laws. Repeatedly dissolving Representative Houses for opposing him, refusing to let new immigrants become citizens of American states, and coercing judges to do his bidding. Specific examples include the passage of a Declaratory Act in 1766 that asserted the British Parliament's right to legislate for the colonies in all cases.

Economic: One of the major 'economic' grievances against the King was the imposition of taxes without the consent of the people. Examples of such taxes include the 'Stamp Act' passed by the Parliament in 1765 that required the purchase of revenue stamps for legal documents and many other paper products. Another example is the Townshend Acts of 1767, which imposed duties on a variety of items imported by the colonies, especially tea.

Military Coercion: Grievances relating to the military include the presence of a large military force in the colonies, which was not answerable to the local laws, transporting of large armies of foreign mercenaries to fight and oppress the local populations, and encouragement of domestic insurrection. The Quartering Act of 1765, a measure that required the colonies to provide housing and supplies for British troops, is a specific example of such coercion.

Indifference to Pleas: Towards the end of the list of grievances, it is emphasized that repeated petitions were made to the King and the British people for redressing the injustices, but to no avail. For instance, as late as July 1775, the First Continental Congress sent one last plea to the king, often called the "Olive Branch Petition," asking him to repeal the hated laws.

The Response of the British Government to the Grievances

The British government, of course, considered itself fully justified in all its actions taken during the period preceding the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the period following it. It considered all the grievances listed in the Declaration as unjustified and declared the American leaders as rebels.

In order to understand the British view-point, we must remember that after the French and Indian War of (1754-1763) the British government was heavily in debt because of war expenses and felt that the colonies should pay a share of the defense expenditures of the colonies. It had decided to maintain a 10,000-man army to protect the colonies from Native Americans and from any new French threat. Hence, it considered the imposition of taxes as fully justified. From the British point-of-view the taxes levied on imports, the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act combined would only raise revenue to pay for one-half of this army.

The other British measures regarding curtailment of the powers of the colonies and the centralization of powers that were considered out-rightly tyrannical in the Declaration can be traced back to Britain's decision to reorganize its overseas empire in the 18th century. This was because following the French and Indian wars Britain found it difficult to maintain control over the American colonies without a more centralized administrative system in North America and decided to tighten its administration.

Since the War of American Independence had been under way since the Battle of Lexington, in April 1775, and King George III had already proclaimed the American colonists to be in an active state of rebellion on August 23, 1775, the Declaration of Independence would only have reinforced the British perception of the American colonists as outright traitors. Hence, the American War of Independence continued unabated after the Declaration until its logical conclusion six years later following several setbacks to the British in battles and the turn around in British public opinion.

Declaration as a Persuasive Case for Independence

The Declaration of Independence is without doubt a masterful document that encapsulates the general principles and theory of a civil government as well as justification for the American Revolution and a formal claim of independence in a surprisingly concise piece of writing.

Written in the main by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration reflects not only his thorough grasp of the theory of civil governments advanced by such philosophers as John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau, it also incorporates his substantial rhetorical and drafting skills. The result is a document that has not only become a guiding light for American politicians but has also inspired other revolutionaries in their fight against tyranny, around the world.