Declaration Of Independence Analysis

The four self-evident truths of the Declaration of Independence are held by all citizens of the nation but are open to others as well because everyone strives for such independence. The truths stated include equality, rights, consent, and the right to revolution. Each is related to one another and practically is codependent of one another. A binding structure intertwined with the participation of the multitude of individuals under a governing body, these truths are in a specific order as well. Furthermore, a key aspect Jefferson remarks in his letter to Roger C. Weightman is that the truths specified are self-evident. “All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to
every view of palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately, by the grace of God” (Yarbrough, p.277). The fact that Jefferson was writing to Weightman specifically about celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of American Independence stressing the point that the holiday gives citizens the opportunity to reminisce about the truths that are not inevitably grasped by the nations citizens.
The point to recognizing the truths is essential to a citizen’s capacity to exercise their liberties.
It is extremely significant to say the least, that equality is the first self-evident truth mentioned in the declaration. This is important to recognize because it is a pre-political condition. This is to say, “that all men are created equal” before government even gets involved in the discussion. (Yarbrough, p.18) The second truth related to the rights citizens of the nation have as individuals. These “inherent and inalienable rights; that among these are as life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness”, are only able to exist if the first principle of equality is understood and applied in the government’s policies and practices.
(Yarbrough, p.18) The third principle is probably the most important truth to understand as being self-evident because it allows governing to happen in the first place. Consenting to be governed is he essential aspect of our Republican government. We do not function as a direct democracy; we elect representatives to govern over us by making decisions on our behalf. We entrust statesmen and aristocrats to rule over us to ensure our safety. This requires to give up some of the liberties previously mentioned which then causes tension between the principles of equality and consent. This third truth is the most important because it is the only legitimate way to accomplish good government. If there is no consent, or if it is not properly taken care of, tyranny and “despotism” are a very real threat to society. Achieving an uncontested consent from the whole body politic is the intention government is founded on in the nation. The fourth self-evident truth has to deal with a duty that is called upon every participating person in government. This is the right of revolution. The significance that the last two truths hold is that they are
political constructions instituted to help ensure our safety and rights. When a government becomes tyrannical and ceases to be better its people, “it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security” (Yarbrough, p.23). The problem with this right is to understand even though it is understood to be held by all citizens, it calls for “prudence” to judge when the time to revolt is right. (Yarbrough, p.23) Since prudence is acquired through gaining human experience in various things in order to shape good judgment, the duty to revolt against a domineering government should be left to the wise enough to make the right decision in terms of revolution. This principle wouldn’t exist to begin with if the people governed didn’t give their consent to be governed. The relationship between the four self-evident truths is not only prevalent because of the dependencies each entail, but also because the order that each come in show an important reasoning behind the institution of government itself. It takes the equal multitude of people that have rights to consent to be governed in order to protect the rights that make people equal in the first place. After all that is understood, then revolution is called for if the last three principles are not correctly established in every individual.