Article I.—Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions can only be founded on common utility.
Article II.—The end of every political association is the conservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man.[1] These rights are liberty, property, security (la sûreté), and resistance to oppression.
Article III.—The principle of all sovereignty resides essentially in the nation....
Article IV.—Liberty consists in the power to do anything that does not injure others; thus, the exercise of the natural rights of every man has only such limits as assure to other members of society the enjoyment of the same rights. These limits can only be determined by law.
Article VI.—The law is the expression of the general will. All citizens have a right to take part (concourir), personally or by their representatives, in its formation.
The remainder of this article insists on the impartiality of law and the equal admission of all citizens to office. The Declaration of
- ↑ Contrast 1793, Art. I: “The end of society is the common happiness. Government is instituted to guarantee to man the enjoyment of his natural and imprescriptible rights.”
