NATURAL RIGHTS WHAT ARE THEY? WHERE DO WE GET THEM? HOW DO WE PROTECT THEM? WHAT ARE THEY? WHERE DO...

NATURAL RIGHTSWHAT ARE THEY?

WHERE DO WE GET THEM?HOW DO WE PROTECT THEM?

NATURAL RIGHTS

WHAT ARE THEY AND WHERE DO WE FIND

THEM?

NATURAL RIGHTS

What are Rights?

What are Natural Rights? Where do you get these rights and

when? How do we go about protecting them?

NATURAL RIGHTS

NATURAL RIGHTS The Declaration of

Independence

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all Men are created equal…certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness…

NATURAL RIGHTS

The Declaration continued

…Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their Powers from the Consent of the Governed…

NATURAL RIGHTS

Even MORE Declaration

…whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government…

NATURAL RIGHTS

NATURAL RIGHTS John Locke (1632 - 1704)

English Philosopher

Natural Rights Philosophy Human beings had rights in a “state of

nature” and create government in order to protect those rights

Natural Rights for Everyone !!

NATURAL RIGHTS John Locke thinking outside the

box!!

Prior view of rights were based on special privileges and special classes.

Locke’s theory of Natural Rights disagreed - we all share the same unalienable rights no matter what.

NATURAL RIGHTS

HOW DO WE PROTECT THEM?

NATURAL RIGHTS

Social Contract

What is it?? Who is it between??

Contract between the people and the government to secure and protect their Natural Rights.

NATURAL RIGHTS Social Contract Two aspects:

(1) Everyone gives up a little of their freedom to a government;

(2) In return, the government will protect their Natural Rights

NATURAL RIGHTS How does the Government go about

protecting these rights?

Constitution Establishes limits on the power of the

Government to prevent them from limiting their Natural Rights (Legal Protection)

Distribution of Government Power (Organizational Protection) - Checks and Balances

NATURAL RIGHTS Why Limit the Government?

Avoid Abuses of Power Keep the power with the people

“Give all power to many, they will oppress the few. Give all power to

the few, they will oppress the many.” - Alexander Hamilton

NATURAL RIGHTS What CAN’T the Government do?

Private Domain - there are areas of the citizen’s lives that are no business of the government and in which the government cannot interfere

E.g. Marriage, religion, political affiliation, etc…

NATURAL RIGHTS

REVIEW: What are Natural Rights?

Where do we get them?

How do we protect them?

NATURAL RIGHTS