The Declaration of Independence connects equality with the idea that government gets its authority from the people. It does not use the exact phrase “majority rule,” but its argument supports government based on the people’s consent.
What it says about equality
The Declaration says that “all men are created equal” and that people have rights that cannot rightly be taken away, including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In this context, equality means that people have equal natural rights—not that everyone has the same abilities, wealth, or circumstances.
What it says about the people’s power
- Government exists to protect people’s rights. Its just powers come from “the consent of the governed.”
- The people can change an unjust government. If a government repeatedly violates their rights, the Declaration says the people may alter or abolish it and create a new one.
- Majority rule is one way to make decisions. In a government based on the people’s consent, a majority’s choice can guide public decisions. But the Declaration does not say that a majority may simply take away another person’s basic rights.
In simple terms
The Declaration’s message is: people are equal in their basic rights, and government must answer to the people. Majority decisions can help a government act, but the document’s principles also emphasize protecting rights. It is also important to remember that the Declaration’s promise of equality was not applied to everyone in 1776, including enslaved people and women; later generations have continued to struggle over how to fulfill that promise.