In the Declaration of Independence, it states that people have certain unalienable rights which include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This means that individuals have the inherent rights to live freely, make choices, and seek happiness. The Declaration also emphasizes that government exists to secure these rights and derives its power from the consent of the governed. This implies that the authority of the government comes from the people it governs, highlighting the idea of popular sovereignty where the people have the ultimate power in a nation.
Comparatively, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen also emphasizes the rights of individuals, stating that all citizens are born free and equal in rights. It emphasizes liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression as fundamental rights. The French Declaration also asserts that sovereignty resides in the nation, which means that the power ultimately belongs to the collective body of citizens.
Both declarations underscore the importance of individual rights and the role of the government in protecting and upholding these rights. While the American Declaration of Independence focuses on the consent of the governed as the basis of governmental authority, the French Declaration emphasizes the sovereignty of the nation as the source of power.
