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Message: 11th Principle--Abolish a government which has become tyrannical.
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11th
Principle
The majority of the people may alter
or abolish a government which
has become tyrannical.
Principle
The majority of the people may alter
or abolish a government which
has become tyrannical.
-
The Founders were well acquainted with the vexations
resulting from an abusive, autocratic government which had
imposed injuries on the American colonists for thirteen years
in violation of the English constitution. Thomas Jefferson's
words in the Declaration of Independence therefore
emphasized the feelings of the American people when he
wrote:
resulting from an abusive, autocratic government which had
imposed injuries on the American colonists for thirteen years
in violation of the English constitution. Thomas Jefferson's
words in the Declaration of Independence therefore
emphasized the feelings of the American people when he
wrote:
-
"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments
long established should not be changed for light and
transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience has
shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while
evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by
abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
"But, when a long train of abuses and usurpations,
pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to
reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right,
it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to
provide new guards for their future security." (Annals of
America, 2:447-48.)
"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments
long established should not be changed for light and
transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience has
shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while
evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by
abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
"But, when a long train of abuses and usurpations,
pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to
reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right,
it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to
provide new guards for their future security." (Annals of
America, 2:447-48.)
-
"But, when a long train of abuses and usurpations,
pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to
reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right,
it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to
provide new guards for their future security." (Annals of
America, 2:447-48.)
Once again, we find John Locke setting forth this same
doctrine in his classical Second Essay Concerning Civil
Government:
pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to
reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right,
it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to
provide new guards for their future security." (Annals of
America, 2:447-48.)
Once again, we find John Locke setting forth this same
doctrine in his classical Second Essay Concerning Civil
Government:
-
"The reason why men enter into society is the
preservation of their property.... [Therefore,] whenever
the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the
property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery
under arbitrary power, they [the officials of government]
put themselves into a state of war with the people, who
are thereupon absolved from any further obedience, and
are left to the common refuge which God hath provided
for all men against force and violence. Whensoever,
therefore, the legislative shall transgress this
fundamental rule of society, and either by ambition,
fear, folly, or corruption, endeavor to grasp themselves,
or put into the hands of any other, an absolute power
over the lives, liberties, and estates of the people, by this
breach of trust THEY [the government officials] FORFEIT
THE POWER THE PEOPLE HAD PUT INTO THEIR
HANDS ... and it devolves to the people, who have a
right to resume their original liberty, and ... provide for
their own safety and security." (John Locke, Second
Essay Concerning Civil Government,
"The reason why men enter into society is the
preservation of their property.... [Therefore,] whenever
the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the
property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery
under arbitrary power, they [the officials of government]
put themselves into a state of war with the people, who
are thereupon absolved from any further obedience, and
are left to the common refuge which God hath provided
for all men against force and violence. Whensoever,
therefore, the legislative shall transgress this
fundamental rule of society, and either by ambition,
fear, folly, or corruption, endeavor to grasp themselves,
or put into the hands of any other, an absolute power
over the lives, liberties, and estates of the people, by this
breach of trust THEY [the government officials] FORFEIT
THE POWER THE PEOPLE HAD PUT INTO THEIR
HANDS ... and it devolves to the people, who have a
right to resume their original liberty, and ... provide for
their own safety and security." (John Locke, Second
Essay Concerning Civil Government,
-
Power Rests in the Majority
-
However, it is important to recognize that the
"government" was established by the majority of the people,
and only a majority of the people can authorize an appeal to
alter or abolish a particular establishment of government. As
Locke pointed out:
However, it is important to recognize that the
"government" was established by the majority of the people,
and only a majority of the people can authorize an appeal to
alter or abolish a particular establishment of government. As
Locke pointed out:
-
"When any number of men have, by the consent of
every individual, made a community, they have thereby
made that community one body, with a power to act as
one body, which is only by the will and determination of
the majority....
"And thus every man, by consenting with others to
make one body politic under one government, puts
himself under an obligation to every one of that society
to submit to the determination of the majority, and to be
concluded by it." (Ibid., p. 47, par. 96-97.)
"When any number of men have, by the consent of
every individual, made a community, they have thereby
made that community one body, with a power to act as
one body, which is only by the will and determination of
the majority....
"And thus every man, by consenting with others to
make one body politic under one government, puts
himself under an obligation to every one of that society
to submit to the determination of the majority, and to be
concluded by it." (Ibid., p. 47, par. 96-97.)
-
No Right of Revolt in a Minority
-
"This being true, Locke pointed out that there is no right
of revolt in an individual, a group, or a minority. Only in the
majority. As he stated elsewhere:
"For if it [the unlawful act of government] reach no
farther than some private men's cases, though they have
a right to defend themselves ... yet the right to do so will
not easily engage them in a contest ... it being as
impossible for one or a few oppressed men to disturb the
government where the body of the people do not think
themselves concerned in it....
"But if either these illegal acts have extended to the
MAJORITY of the people, or if the mischief and oppression
has light [struck] only on some few, but in such cases as the
precedent and consequences seem to THREATEN ALL, and
they are persuaded in their consciences that their laws, and
with them, their estates, liberties, and lives are in danger,
and perhaps their religion too, HOW THEY WILL BE
HINDERED FROM RESISTING ILLEGAL FORCE USED
AGAINST THEM I CANNOT TELL." (Ibid., p. 73, par. 208-9;
emphasis added.)
"This being true, Locke pointed out that there is no right
of revolt in an individual, a group, or a minority. Only in the
majority. As he stated elsewhere:
"For if it [the unlawful act of government] reach no
farther than some private men's cases, though they have
a right to defend themselves ... yet the right to do so will
not easily engage them in a contest ... it being as
impossible for one or a few oppressed men to disturb the
government where the body of the people do not think
themselves concerned in it....
"But if either these illegal acts have extended to the
MAJORITY of the people, or if the mischief and oppression
has light [struck] only on some few, but in such cases as the
precedent and consequences seem to THREATEN ALL, and
they are persuaded in their consciences that their laws, and
with them, their estates, liberties, and lives are in danger,
and perhaps their religion too, HOW THEY WILL BE
HINDERED FROM RESISTING ILLEGAL FORCE USED
AGAINST THEM I CANNOT TELL." (Ibid., p. 73, par. 208-9;
emphasis added.)
-
In other words, the majority are then likely to revolt just
as the American Founders did when their plight had finally
become intolerable. Certainly there was no significant
confusion in the minds of the Founders as to their rights and
proper recourse when they approached their moment of
critical decision in 1776. The Virginia assembly passed the
Virginia Declaration of Rights on June 12, 1776, which
provided in Section 3 as follows:
as the American Founders did when their plight had finally
become intolerable. Certainly there was no significant
confusion in the minds of the Founders as to their rights and
proper recourse when they approached their moment of
critical decision in 1776. The Virginia assembly passed the
Virginia Declaration of Rights on June 12, 1776, which
provided in Section 3 as follows:
-
"That government is, or ought to be, instituted for
the common benefit, protection, and security of the
people.... And that, when any government shall be found
inadequate or contrary to these purposes. A MAJORITY
of the community hath an indubitable, inalienable, and
indefeasible right to reform, alter, or abolish it, in such
manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public
weal." (Annals of America, 2:432; emphasis added.)
So, granted that the people are sovereign and the
majority of them can take over whenever necessary to
restructure the political machinery and restore liberty, what
is likely to be the best form of government which will preserve
liberty? The answer to this question was a favorite theme of
the American nation-builders.
"That government is, or ought to be, instituted for
the common benefit, protection, and security of the
people.... And that, when any government shall be found
inadequate or contrary to these purposes. A MAJORITY
of the community hath an indubitable, inalienable, and
indefeasible right to reform, alter, or abolish it, in such
manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public
weal." (Annals of America, 2:432; emphasis added.)
So, granted that the people are sovereign and the
majority of them can take over whenever necessary to
restructure the political machinery and restore liberty, what
is likely to be the best form of government which will preserve
liberty? The answer to this question was a favorite theme of
the American nation-builders.
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