How does the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen reflect the cry of the French Revolution, “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”? In what ways did the declaration change the old order in France?

REEDOM. The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen proclaimed freedom of speech, freedom from arbitrary arrest (article 7), and freedom of religion and opinion (article 10). It affirmed the natural rights of individuals to choose their actions as long as those actions did not harm the interests of others (articles 4 and 5), protected the “inviolable and sacred right” to possess and freely dispose of individual property (article 17), and made the free consent of the people a prerequisite for public taxation (article 14). In addition, it guaranteed individual rights and established the separation of powers in order to prevent the government from abusing its power over people (article 16). Thus, Lafayette and the other authors of the Declaration, like the framers of the US Constitution, embraced Montesquieu’s ideas about separating the judiciary, executive, and legislative powers of government.

awww

so much for the shoutout

that means so much to

~courtney