The first right listed in the declaration states that “Men are born, and always continue, free, and equal in respect of their rights.” This means that so long is a man is a French citizen, he is to be regarded as free and given equal rights.
2.) What does the declaration say about the equality of women?
The declaration states nothing about the equality of women. The aforementioned equality automatically given to men upon their birth did not apply to women. They were not held to the same standards as men, and therefore were not given the same rights. Olympe de Gouges would later try to rectify this oversight with Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen, but would …show more content…
The Declaration listed seventeen specific rights that all male citizens were entitled to have. The first right granted equality, which considering the monarchy’s previous oppression of the common man, was a significant statement. Article five prohibits the outlawing of any activity unless it would be genuinely harmful to society, providing more freedom and less limitation on what one can or cannot do. The ninth right ensures that men are viewed as innocent until they can be proven guilty, a necessary tool in a fair and unbiased justice system. Article ten provides freedom of religious opinion, so long as no belief does not conflict with the law. Article eleven grants freedom of speech, noted in the article itself to be a precious right.
4.) Why would the aristocracy be especially fond of the last provision of the declaration?
The final provision of the declaration deals with right of men to purchase and privately own property, as long as it is acquired legally and is not needed for public use. Since the aristocratic class is practically defined by their abundance of wealth, this provision would allow them to obtain vast amounts of land with little to no governmental