July 2016 #16-23
Summary:
As Americans celebrate
Independence Day, we
should take some time to
re-familiarize ourselves
with the powerful concepts
Thomas Jefferson set out
in the Declaration of
Independence.
Word Count 464
“‘We hold these truths
to be self-evident; that
all men are created
equal, that they are
endowed by their
Creator with certain
inalienable rights,
among these are Life,
Liberty and the
pursuit of
Happiness.’”
“When in the Course of Human
Events…”
—a Declaration that never goes out of style
By Steve Buckstein
Two hundred and forty years ago this July 4, the world was gifted with one of the
most significant political documents ever written. It began with these words:
“When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to
dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…”
Thomas Jefferson authored the Declaration of Independence to set out the reasons
for the American people to “dissolve the political bands which have connected
them” with Great Britain.
The Declaration also boldly stated:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights,
among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to
secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their
just powers from the consent of the governed.”
Before the Declaration, individuals accepted that Kings would run their lives.
Afterward, they realized that they could run their own lives. As more people around
the world discover this fact, thank Jefferson for inspiring mankind with the ideas
and ideals they can use to take their lives back from Kings.
This year, for example, the people of Great Britain have just voted to “dissolve the
political bands which have connected them” with the European Union in what
became known as the Brexit election. While that vote is causing political and
economic uncertainty in Europe and beyond, Jefferson and America’s founders
would likely understand the “causes which impel them to the separation.”
Jefferson also realized that government and society are not synonymous. He argued
that government’s purpose is to protect the inalienable rights of the individuals that
make up society. He understood that such rights are not granted by government;
and that any rights government does claim to grant are really claims on someone
else’s right to life, liberty, or property. What would he think of today’s
politicians—and aspiring politicians—in Washington, D.C. and Salem, Oregon
who propose law after law ordaining right after right?
Jefferson also understood that he wasn’t elected President in 1801 to “run the
country.” He was elected President to run the executive branch of a limited,
constitutional government that coincidently he helped to create.
As we consider candidates for state and federal executive offices this year,
remember that Jefferson might tell us we aren’t voting for any of these men or
women to “run the state of Oregon” or to “run the country.” We are voting for
individuals to run the executive branches of limited, constitutional governments.
Outside those governments’ limited responsibilities, we should be free to run our
own lives.
To reinforce these concepts, why not read the Declaration again this Independence
Day and consider the power it had—and still has—to change our world for the
better.
“Before the
Declaration,
individuals
accepted that
Kings would run
their lives.
Afterward, they
realized that they
could run their
own lives.”
Steve Buckstein is Founder and Senior Policy Analyst at Cascade Policy Institute,
Oregon’s free market public policy research organization. He was named the 2016
recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award by the Taxpayer Association of Oregon and
the Oregon Executive Club.
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