Running Head: Home Essay Assignment 1

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Home Essay Assignment 2

Q#3:

What are natural rights and where do they come from? Who are the major philosophers

where natural rights are concerned? How are the natural rights shaped for membership in

civil society?

Natural Rights are the inalienable rights defined in the declaration of Independence drafted by

Thomas Jefferson in June 1776. The draft was published to announce the grievances of the 13

states of America and their reasons of separation from Great Britain their mother country.

(archives.gov, 2002)

The Natural Rights states that every man is entitled to some basic rights that are essential for its

existence. Jefferson describes it as:

All men are created as equal and that they are gifted by the Creator with some definite

unchallengeable and inalienable rights that are life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The basis of these rights can be tracked from the philosophies idealized by Jefferson at that time.

Thomas was a man of Enlightment, and was adept on the relationship of the man and this

universe and its purpose. (crf-usa.org, 1996)

Looking in detail about the major philosophers behind the theory of natural rights, we can trace it

back to the Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. They argued on having a

common law, which every man in universe is entitled to other than the laws set up by humans

themselves. Specifically, Thomas Jefferson is thought to have taken the ideas for Natural Rights

from the English Philosopher John Locke, who wrote the Second Treatise of Government, which

is accounted to bring down the throne of James II. Locke mentioned in it that all humans are
Home Essay Assignment 3

born with some specific rights that cannot be taken as well as given by any individual, as they

are God-given rights. The difference in the rights was of the “pursuit of happiness” which

Jefferson put forward in place of “Property”. The right of Life and Liberty is same in both drafts.

By Property, Locke also referred to the protection and owning of oneself other than the land and

goods. (crf-usa.org, 1996)

Thomas incorporated the natural rights to support their idea of separation from Great Britain, as

the people of 13 States were not being provided with these rights under the mother country.

The Natural rights are made part of the civil society and are in coherence with each other.

This is evident from the many rules that bind together the civil society. For example the first

natural right of life provides a man the right to live his life or stated as a right to not get

dispossessed of his life. The civilian laws against murder hence abide by this right.

The natural right to life is equal for all; the rich and the poor, the famous and the infamous and

for the strong and the poor.

The natural right that “all men are created as equal” is the basis for the Justice system of our

country. The foundation of our Justice system is based on providing equal rights to everyone and

inhibiting the practices that cause any inequality and injustice among the rights of its civilians.

The Pursuit of Happiness, this right provides the foundation to the marriage, the fundamental

body of society that gives the protection to the children’s rights to pursue happiness.

(Chambers & Kymlicka, 2002)

Home Essay Assignment 4

Q#7 Comment on United States as a Commercial Republic- specifically, an example of

successful market capitalism.

According to The Smith Foundation Adam Smith human growth is achievable by growing the

wealth of the nation. This implies that poverty can be erased with the help of growth in

production and quality of labor. For better quality of labor, specialization is inevitable which is

in turn dependent on the scope of market

With reference to the Federalist No. 10 and Federalist No. 51 Commercial republic is defended

by the Locke’s right of private property and smith’s clause of extended market and explained

that the growth of a nation depends upon the growth of a economy and complete economic

liberty.

The biggest defense for calling US a commercial Republic is the Constitution itself. Article I,

Section 6 implies that “Senators and Representatives shall get compensation in return for the

services offered by them. This highlights the commercial nature of our republic.

Congress also entitled to grant provisional patents “to encourage the development of science and

the valuable arts. Hence highlighting another reason for believing the US as a commercial

Republic.

United States of America, one of the strongest capitalist economies of this world is known for

following its divine dream of working hard to get success and collect wealth. It would not be

wrong to call it a commercial republic in any sense. The Americans are believed to work for

more hours than any nation, move to more far places for better opportunities and switch to

different opportunities far greater than others. Their inbuilt urge to grow rapidly and collect
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wealth has been nourished long ago by none other than personalities like Benjamin Franklin

Horatio Alger, and Alexander Hamilton. (Brooks, 2009)

To establish a start up in US is not much of a headache. The capitalist market facilitates and

provides the best environment for the new entrants to grow. It is not uncommon to know of a

business startup initiating from a stall and then building rapidly to become a giant conglomerate.

The US market welcomes anyone who is willing to make long hours to bring forward a new

product or service. The capitalist market promotes the owning and of profits of production which

attracts new investors. This in turn helps in flourishing of the social economy.

This provides exclusive rights and patents for the production of technology and propagates the

social economy. Sub sectors within industries remodels success in agriculture, commerce,

service industries, technology. The capitalist market provides facilitation for Monopolies that are

trading in banking sector, insurance or services, or technology and commerce.

Out of eight six restraints on Congress in Article 1, Section 9 and six of the 16 restraints on the

state governments in Article 1, Section 10 highlights commercial republic operating within the

framework of federal government.

(docsoffreedom.org, 2013)
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References:

archives.gov. (2002, March 31). archives.gov. Retrieved February 23, 2016, from The Charter of
Freedom: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html#top

Brooks, D. (2009, MARCH 16). The Commercial Republic. Retrieved February 23, 2016, from The
NewYork Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/opinion/17brooks.html?_r=0

Chambers, S., & Kymlicka, W. (2002). Alternative Conceptions Of Civil Society. New Jersey: Princeton
University Press.

crf-usa.org. (1996, December 21). crf-usa.org. Retrieved February 23, 2016, from Constitutional Rights
Foundation: http://www.crf-usa.org/foundations-of-our-constitution/natural-rights.html

docsoffreedom.org. (2013, November 30). Our Commercial Republic. Retrieved February 23, 2016, from
Documents of Freedom: https://www.docsoffreedom.org/units/our-commercial-republic