Among the natural rights of the Colonists are these…
““Among the natural rights of the Colonists are these: First, a right to life; Secondly, to liberty; Thirdly, to property; together with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can. These are evident branches of, rather than deductions from, the duty of self-preservation, commonly called the first law of nature. All men have a right to remain in a state of nature as long as they please; and in case of intolerable oppression, civil or religious, to leave the society they belong to, and enter into another. When men enter into society, it is by voluntary consent; and they have a right to demand and insist upon the performance of such conditions and previous limitations as form an equitable original compact. Every natural right not expressly given up, or, from the nature of a social compact, necessarily ceded, remains. All positive and civil laws should conform, as far as possible, to the law of natural reason and equity.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Natural rights include life, liberty, property, and the right to defend them; societies are formed by consent and can be left if oppressive.
In simple terms: Rights are life, liberty, property, and the right to leave oppressive societies.
Key Takeaway
Uphold rights, question unjust authority.
Themes
rights
consent
political philosophy
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- civil activism
- legal reform
- community building
- personal decision‑making
Key Concepts
social contract
natural law
Questions to Reflect On
- When is it justified to leave a society?
- How do we balance individual rights with communal responsibilities?
A Different Perspective
Rights can conflict with collective needs.