Natural Rights, XII
In Ch. V of ‘Natural Right and History,’Leo Strauss discusses Thomas Hobbes’ political science and the social contract developed by John Locke. Locke’s two-step, social contract is the first civil society that begins with two founding laws. The American colonists were the first to use Locke’s social contract. The first step forms the Declaration of Independence and authorizes Locke’s Society. This document is a law that cannot be amended. The second step forms the Constitution and authorizes Locke’s Government. This document is a law that can be amended by Society.
In a March 26, 2008 letter response to me, Senator John Rockefeller said that ‘the Declaration of Independence is not considered law in the same sense that the Constitution is considered law.’ After studying Locke’s social contract theory and Leo Strauss’s book on ‘Natural Right an History’ I conclude that the Declaration of Independence cannot be removed from the body of U.S. laws because Locke’s social contract is a contractual agreement between two parties --- Society and Government.’ By not considering the Declaration of Independence as a law, Locke’s social contract cannot function properly for the USA. So, I do not agree with Senator Rockefeller’s response..
By not considering the Declaration of Independence as a law, Locke’s Society, which is defined in the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence, cannot function. For instance, ‘one People’ (or Union) will not exist God and a Creator will not exist; the Laws of Nature (science) and Laws of Nature’s God (morality) will not exist; human individuality will be unknown; slavery (as defined by the statement all Men are created equal) will no longer exist;’ and all natural rights will not exist.
It seems that Strauss sees the removal of the Declaration of Independence in Ch. VI as ‘The Crisis of Modern Natural Right.’ I see that this crisis appeared after the assassination of Abe Lincoln. With Lincoln's murder, I believe that slavery began to reappear in the USA and developed an anti-social nation with a large poor economic class.
In a March 26, 2008 letter response to me, Senator John Rockefeller said that ‘the Declaration of Independence is not considered law in the same sense that the Constitution is considered law.’ After studying Locke’s social contract theory and Leo Strauss’s book on ‘Natural Right an History’ I conclude that the Declaration of Independence cannot be removed from the body of U.S. laws because Locke’s social contract is a contractual agreement between two parties --- Society and Government.’ By not considering the Declaration of Independence as a law, Locke’s social contract cannot function properly for the USA. So, I do not agree with Senator Rockefeller’s response..
By not considering the Declaration of Independence as a law, Locke’s Society, which is defined in the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence, cannot function. For instance, ‘one People’ (or Union) will not exist God and a Creator will not exist; the Laws of Nature (science) and Laws of Nature’s God (morality) will not exist; human individuality will be unknown; slavery (as defined by the statement all Men are created equal) will no longer exist;’ and all natural rights will not exist.
It seems that Strauss sees the removal of the Declaration of Independence in Ch. VI as ‘The Crisis of Modern Natural Right.’ I see that this crisis appeared after the assassination of Abe Lincoln. With Lincoln's murder, I believe that slavery began to reappear in the USA and developed an anti-social nation with a large poor economic class.
posted by George Shollenberger @ 3:17 PM
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