Summary Of The Patriarchy Of Judith Shklar

Independence is a very celebrated and big thing in the United States of America, a widely celebrated holiday to say, “Hey, we gained independence from the biggest empire in history!” Quite iconic, right? Sure, there was a huge war where blood was shed and lives were lost, which is something that we tend not to look back on because it only happened 841 years ago and that’s way in the past, therefore it is not relevant to this very modernized era. However, if someone were to say that to a person that was from that era who actually had to undergo this experience then they would likely receive a slap to the face because this was a really big deal for the colonists who were living in the area that is now the United States of America. Thomas Jefferson
The Patriarchy, the belief that men are capable of running society and that’s why men were so full of themselves back then and some of them still are now, it is important to look at the fact that there is so much more to everyone else than just the average white male who runs the world. Judith N. Shklar states in her criticism, “As a "hail and farewell," the Declaration is a perfectly stunning classical oration. It also has some of Jefferson's own most cherished beliefs in it. "Nature" or "nature's God" is a very cool deity— "The Creator," who is known only by his works. These show us that "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" are rights derived from the necessities to which God's nature impels us.” So, is this the definition of endowing us, if so, how are we supposed to recognize such a thing? This is only endowed to the members of the Patriarchy, not women, or slaves of any kind. Here is the line that Jefferson happens to describe, “...They are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights…” (112). This happens to go back to the prior point, everyone is endowed, except women and the slaves that happen to live in the colonies. Shklar announces in her paper, “We all have a "moral sense," he believed, or a conscience which the Creator gave us when he made us
What is the pursuit of happiness, is it simply pursuing happiness, or finding it within yourself as an individual or is it all of the above? A piece of paper with tons of signature can grant people happiness, that doesn’t seem true, but hey if it is possible then let it be that way if that’s how it’s supposed to be. Shklar mentions in her paper, “Self-preservation is possible only if we are free to protect the integrity of our lives, and as each one of us is created uniquely different, we must seek in our own way the happiness to which our nature also drives us.” So, if everything goes as follows above, then we will be able to achieve happiness that we wish to pursue, that makes sense. However, this all took place in a time where money was scarce and limited and some would say that money is needed to acquire happiness, which is, in fact, false, all a person needs is their family. In the historical lines of the piece of freedom, Jefferson adds, “...that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…” (112). If one were to believe that the pursuit of happiness can only be gained by money, then well, Jefferson is once again wrong in the things that he says, however, if one believes that happiness is found in the family, then he is right. In closing, John Morley adds,