____ Document outlining the Rights of Man in France
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The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (La Déclaration des Droits de l'Homme et du Citoyen) was a document adopted by the National Constituent Assembly of France on August 26, 1789. It holds great importance as one of the foundational documents of the French Revolution and subsequent governments.
The document consists of 17 articles, each defining and securing certain individual rights and liberties of the people of France. Some of the key rights outlined in the Declaration include:
1. Article 1: All men are born and remain free and equal in rights.
2. Article 2: The purpose of political association is the preservation of natural and imprescriptible rights of man. These rights include liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.
3. Article 3: Sovereignty resides in the nation. No institution or individual can claim any authority that is not expressly derived from the nation.
4. Article 4: Liberty consists of the freedom to do anything that does not harm others. No one can be restrained except by law.
5. Article 6: Law is the expression of the general will. All citizens have the right to contribute personally or through representatives to its creation.
6. Article 7: No one can be accused, arrested, or detained except in cases determined by the law and according to its procedures.
7. Article 10: No one can be subjected to cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishments.
8. Article 11: Free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious rights of man.
9. Article 12: The guarantee of the rights of man and of the citizen requires a public force. This force is also necessary for the protection of individuals and the preservation of property.
10. Article 16: A society in which the guarantee of rights is not assured, nor the separation of powers defined, has no constitution.
These articles, among others, laid the foundation for the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity that became the core ideals of the French Revolution, shaping the course of French history and influencing the development of human rights worldwide.