How Did The French Declaration Justify The Rights Of The Citizen

After the fall of the Bastille, the French National Assembly congregated to solidify the principles of their revolution. The “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen” was the result of the assembly’s efforts, along with some guidance from Thomas Jefferson and Lafayette. It boldly stated to the king and nobility of France that the people would actively take their rightful freedom and equality. Mainly to inform and justify the revolution, the Declaration united their supports with the overarching belief that all men were given inalienable right by the Supreme Being, followed by tenets that maintain the equality of men. While the effectiveness of the Declaration is unrivaled, its cohesiveness begins to crack as the French Revolution
One of the key differences was that the Rights of Man did not include a right to life or happiness, containing rights to “property, security, and resistance to oppression” instead (22). Another significant difference was the universality of the French Declaration that gave all men freedom and equal rights in political participation. In article six, the “law is the expression of the general will” and not that of a king nor the nobility, which would give the people the security they desired (22). Continuing into the article, the law “must be the same for all, whether it protects or punishes” would guarantee equality for all. Strongly in defense of the right to resist oppression, article eleven states that “the free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious of the rights of man” (23). And to garner further support the Declaration used artistic proofs, primarily pathos to appeal to the revolutionary fervor of the masses. The use of pathos would convey meaning across the easiest, especially to the lower-class peasantry, since emotions are more primitive and relatable than to the logic needed for logos or