DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN Directions: Read the selections from the Declaration of the Rights of Man below and answer the guided reading questions. Analyzing Primary Source Documents APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ARTICLES: OF FRANCE, AUGUST 26, 1789 1. Men are born and remain free and equal in he Representatives of the French people, rights. Social distinctions may be founded Torganized as a National Assembly, believing that only upon the general good. the ignorance, neglect, or contempt of the rights of 2. The aim of all political association is man are the sole cause of public calamities and of the the preservation of the natural and corruption of governments, have determined to set imprescriptible rights of man. These rights forth in a solemn declaration the natural, unalienable, are liberty, property, security, and resistance to and sacred rights of man, in order that this oppression. declaration, being constantly before all the members of the Social body, shall remind them continually of 3. The principle of all sovereignty resides their rights and duties in order that the acts of the essentially in the nation. No body nor legislative power, as well as those of the executive individual may exercise any authority which power, may be compared at any moment with the does not proceed directly from the nation. objects and purposes of all political institutions and may thus be more respected, and, lastly, in order that 4. Liberty consists in the freedom to do the grievances of the citizens, based hereafter upon everything which injures no one else; hence simple and incontestable principles, shall tend to the the exercise of the natural rights of each maintenance of the constitution and redound to the man has no limits except those which assure happiness of all. Therefore the National Assembly to the other members of the society the recognizes and proclaims, in the presence and under enjoyment of the same rights. These limits the auspices of the Supreme Being, the following can only be determined by law. rights of man and of the citizen. 5. Law can only prohibit such actions as are hurtful to society. Nothing may be prevented which is not forbidden by law, and no one may be forced to do anything not provided for by law. © THE BILL OF RIGHTS INSTITUTE 6. Law is the expression of the general will. 11. The free communication of ideas and Every citizen has a right to participate opinions is one of the most precious of personally, or through his representative, the rights of man. Every citizen may, in its foundation. It must be the same for accordingly, speak, write, and print with all, whether it protects or punishes. All freedom, but shall be responsible for such citizens, being equal in the eyes of the law, abuses of this freedom as shall be defined by are equally eligible to all dignities and to all law. public positions and occupations, according 12. The security of the rights of man and of the to their abilities, and without distinction citizen requires public military forces. These except that of their virtues and talents. forces are, therefore, established for the good 7. No person shall be accused, arrested, or of all and not for the personal advantage of imprisoned except in the cases and according those to whom they shall to the forms prescribed by law. Any one be intrusted. soliciting, transmitting, executing, or causing 13. A common contribution is essential for the to be executed, any arbitrary order, shall maintenance of the public forces and for be punished. But any citizen summoned the cost of administration. This should be or arrested in virtue of the law shall submit equitably distributed among all the citizens in without delay, as resistance constitutes an proportion to their means. offense. 14. All the citizens have a right to decide, either 8. The law shall provide for such punishments personally or by their representatives, as to only as are strictly and obviously necessary, the necessity of and no one shall suffer punishment except it the public contribution; to grant this freely; be legally inflicted in virtue of a law passed to know to what uses it is put; and to fix the and promulgated before the commission of proportion, the mode of assessment and of the offense. collection and the duration of the taxes. 9. As all persons are held innocent until they 15. Society has the right to require of every shall have been declared guilty, if arrest shall public agent an account of his administration. be deemed indispensable, all harshness not essential to the securing of the prisoner’s 16. A society in which the observance of the law person shall be severely repressed by law. is not assured, nor the separation of powers defined, has no constitution at all. 10. No one shall be disquieted on account of his opinions, including his religious views, 17. Since property is an inviolable and sacred provided their manifestation right, no one shall be deprived thereof does not disturb the public order established except where public necessity, legally by law. determined, shall clearly demand it, and then only on condition that the owner shall have been previously and equitably indemnified. HEROES & VILLAINS: THE QUEST FOR CIVIC VIRTUE Discussion Guide 1. How is this Declaration of the Rights of Man similar to the Declaration of Independence? What rights and liberties are asserted and protected? 2. How is the Declaration of the Rights of Man dissimilar to the Declaration of Independence? What is the difference of sovereignty, or authority, residing in the nation or “general good” in France’s document as opposed to the people in the American document? 3. What seems to be the goal of the document? 4. Is there one driving principle that informs the rest of the document? If so, what is it? 5. How is the rule of law treated in the document? What are the limits of an individual rights if it conflicts with the needs of the nation? 6. Does this document establish a government? 7. The Declaration of the Rights of Man makes repeated references to “Citizens”. What significance does this word have? © THE BILL OF RIGHTS INSTITUTE POLITICAL INTOLERANCE Maximilien Robespierre and Political Intolerance n 1792, France was in turmoil. It was the third ments in favor of executing Louis XVI, that won him Iyear of revolution, and instability reigned. popularity among the revolutionary masses. Many Undermined by revolts in the provinces and beset moderates opposed Robespierre’s position, calling upon by counter-revolutionary armies on all of instead for a popular referendum on the fate of the its frontiers, France’s new leaders desperately king. However, these voices soon were drowned out sought new ways to instill order among the chaos. by the powerful revolutionary rhetoric employed The constitutional monarchy established in the by Robespierre and his allies. Declaring that “Louis Constitution of 1791 had failed to govern the must die so that the nation may live,” Robespierre country effectively. Revolutionary violence reached helped convince the Convention to vote for the a fever pitch as thousands of imprisoned nobles king’s death. The hopes for moderation in building and clerics were slaughtered in their jail cells in the a just and peaceful revolution died along with the “September Massacres.” The National Convention king. Robespierre and many other revolutionaries had become the default government and voted to were bent on destroying the old order in France and dissolve the monarchy. They now had to decide ushering in a utopian reign of liberty, equality, and what to do with the deposed and imprisoned king. fraternity. The Revolution had reached a crisis. For their part, Robespierre and the faction of It was during this period that a little-known political radicals known as the Montagnards became lawyer and Deputy of the National Convention, convinced that the tendencies of the moderate Maximilien Robespierre, began his rapid ascent group, the Girondists, were not merely hobbling to power. Known early on as “the incorruptible,” the progress of the revolution, but constituted Robespierre’s fierce dedication to the principles outright treason. By May 1793, Robespierre called of the revolution made him a popular figure. His on the Montagnards to rebel against the Girondist- uncompromising ideological allegiance led government and urged the armed to the purity of virtue and the prin- people of Paris to forcibly depose ciples of the revolution, and his Girondist deputies. In June, willingness to destroy its en- the Girondists were expelled emies, led him to embrace from the Convention and bloody, state-sponsored arrested. violence to achieve his In July 1793, Robe- ends of a utopian state. spierre took control of The consequence was the newly-formed Com- the Terror. mittee of Public Safety. A former opponent In most initiatives, the of the death penalty, he Committee was able to made powerful argu- bypass the more deliber- HEROES & VILLAINS: THE QUEST FOR CIVIC VIRTUE ate National Convention and take direct action as The Committee and the Revolutionary Tribu- committee members saw fit. Because of these far- nals oversaw the execution of thousands of people reaching powers, the Committee of Public Safety by the guillotine who disagreed, or appeared to became the de-facto executive of the French Re- disagree, with the official policies of Robespierre public, with Robespierre at its helm. Robespierre and the Montagnards. In March 1794, even the and his followers could now impose their vision of Hébertists, a political faction even more extreme revolutionary virtue and ideological purity with the than Robespierre, were executed. That same power of the state. The search for “enemies of the month, Robespierre’s former ally Georges Danton, a revolution” and “enemies of the state” soon began well-established Montagnard radical, was executed in earnest.