3 Problems with the Declaration of Independence

[@SavingCommunitiesDS]

The reason Jefferson replaced "property" with "pursuit of happiness" is that Americans rejected the British system of unlimited property in land, which was a product of feudalism. Locke had also opposed unlimited property in land, saying in his second treatise that one could only hold land by natural right so long as there was "enough and as good left in common to others." This proviso applied not only at the point of appropriation, but applied as well to land "already taken up." [§ 34.] Of course, where the Lockean Proviso is met, land has no rental value, for who would pay rent for land that is no better than free land? Locke also advocated that all taxes should be placed on the value of land. William Penn, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Tom Paine also advocated taxing land value to prevent monopolization. The narrator also misrepresents "natural law" as a law governing animals that kill each other, etc. Natural law was based on man's unique nature as a *reasoning* animal, capable of resolving conflicts by reason rather than by force. That is, natural law is based on making laws that are in harmony with human nature, accepting people as they are and using that as a starting point when crafting legislation.

[@DiscerningHistory]

Thanks for your comment. Those are some valid points. Many thousands of pages have been written on the topics I addressed here, and I wasn't trying to give a comprehensive handling of them in a ten minute video. I acknowledge that the description I gave of natural law is not the one that many people use, but it is one that I have read today. We'll have to leave rebutting the specifics of natural law as you describe for another day.

[@Maine24512]

Good to see young people questioning and studying our beginning. Pusuit of Happiness is the the idea that you will not be taxed by a monarchy or arms of it in your pusuit as a free thinking individual. Yes if owning property makes you happy then you should pursue it. No if you are harming someone else by pursuing your happiness then you are breaking the agreement when you took the oath. Unfortunately we have allowed our own government to tax us in everything. Untill we stand up together and go back to governing ourselves we are right back where we started.

[@bradpitt3122]

You mention nothing about slavery in which inherently the lack of reference implies a bigger issue that the first statements of the declaration of independent are hypocritical. If all men are created equal but yet while these statements were made slavery was existing is what contradicts the statements of the declaration of independence. Neither in the laws of nature nor in natures of god does it ever validate slavery. Thus the declaration of independence was not forthright in it words and only supported one group while leaving many others groups under the same tyrannical complaint in which the declaration reference, thus we can admit and conclude that Americas true independence was not due to the declaration of independence but the emancipation proclamation but yet even then slavery was not completely abolished until Juneteenth. Therefore, we must conclude that African Americans had and have the right to overthrow a government in which is tyrannical and should be absolved and remove oppression. Nonetheless we see the civil rights movement taking an approach of pacifism. This leads to modern events where the acts of protest and riots can be viewed as following independence when a government has suppressed citizens for a very long time. Therefore, it is a constitutional right to relieve a tyrannical government and its place put a more just one. However, modern US government has grown bigger and more oppressively then ever before thus we can only conclude that in the future the world may see another civil war, not waged in arms but waged in ideals. (This is what's happening today)

[@terrencedixon9004]

I love what you had to say I know I’m replying to this way later. I’m glad you brought that up because it’s funny how Thomas Jefferson actually wanted to put that in there the slave trade was the kings fault and after two days of deliberation they decided they were gonna remove it awfully convenient.

[@criticalcharge0112]

Thank you for your work. This is a courageous act that is going against the grain when many have put the notion of absolute freedom at the betrayal of God who gave us these opportunities to begin with.

[@jbartlett1840]

The pursuit of happiness is simple If ALL citizens share the same constitution and bill of rights then it is automatic that the pursuit of HAPPINESS can't include stripping another citizen of THEIR pursuit of happiness. .🙄

[@andreahorn525]

You made some great points!

[@thehudsonshub]

I found you 😍

[@andreahorn525]

@@thehudsonshub 😄

[@owlnyc666]

I am pretty sure Jefferson was not a Christian. Christian =Divine Right. of Kings.

[@DiscerningHistory]

You are right that Jefferson was not a Christian - meaning he didn't hold to orthodox basic Christian doctrine. But there were many Christians in America's founding era who didn't believe in the divine right of kings. One strain of thought that had much influence on America's founding was the Reformed theology of covenantal limited government. But that's a topic for another time.

[@JC-em4tx]

Nice short video. I suspect KZbin is throttling this channel. Looking at older videos from years past, I see many more views. Interesting.

[@DiscerningHistory]

Thanks! Who knows about KZbin. I would say that our videos have always been pretty hit and miss in terms of getting a lot of views, and when they do, they often rack up views over a long time.

[@MrMurphyCCS]

@@DiscerningHistory Adding a few of your videos to my history curriculum. Thanks for sharing your work.