The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen,
1789
National Assembly of France
The representatives of the people of France, formed into a National Assembly,
considering that ignorance, neglect, or contempt of human rights, are the sole causes of
public misfortunes and corruptions of Government, have resolved to set forth in a solemn
declaration, these natural, imprescriptible, and inalienable rights: that this declaration
being constantly present to the minds of the members of the body social, they may be for
ever kept attentive to their rights and their duties; that the acts of the legislative and
executive powers of government, being capable of being every moment compared with
the end of political institutions, may be more respected; and also, that the future claims of
the citizens, being directed by simple and incontestable principles, may tend to the
maintenance of the Constitution, and the general happiness.
For these reasons, the National Assembly doth recognize and declare, in the presence of
the Supreme Being, and with the hope of his blessing and favour, the following sacred
rights of men and of citizens:
I. Men are born, and always continue, free and equal in respect of their rights. Civil
distinctions, therefore, can be founded only on public utility.
II. The end of all political associations, is the preservation of the natural and
imprescriptible rights of man; and these rights are liberty, property, security, and
resistance of oppression.
III. The nation is essentially the source of all sovereignty; nor can any individual, or any
body of men, be entitled to any authority which is not expressly derived from it.
IV. Political liberty consists in the power of doing whatever does not injure another. The
exercise of the natural rights of every man, has no other limits than those which are
necessary to secure to every other man the free exercise of the same rights; and these
limits are determinable only by the law.
V. The law ought to prohibit only actions hurtful to society. What is not prohibited by the
law, should not be hindered; nor should any one be compelled to that which the law does
not require.
VI. The law is an expression of the will of the community. All citizens have a right to
concur, either personally, or by their representatives, in its formation. It should be the
same to all, whether it protects or punishes; and all being equal in its sight, are equally
eligible to all honours, places, and employments, according to their different abilities,
without any other distinction than that created by their virtues and talents.
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) I-2
VII. No man should be accused, arrested, or held in confinement, except in cases
determined by the law, and according to the forms which it has prescribed. All who
promote, solicit, execute, or cause to be executed, arbitrary orders, ought to be punished,
and every citizen called upon, or apprehended by virtue of the law, ought immediately to
obey, and renders himself culpable by resistance.
VIII. The law ought to impose no other penalties but such as are absolutely and evidently
necessary; and no one ought to be punished, but in virtue of a law promulgated before the
offence, and legally applied.
IX. Every man being presumed innocent till he has been convicted, whenever his
detention becomes indispensable, all rigour to him, more than is necessary to secure his
person, ought to be provided against by the law.
X. No man ought to be molested on account of his opinions, not even on account of his
religious opinions, provided his avowal of them does not disturb the public order
established by law.
XI. The unrestrained communication of thoughts and opinions being one of the most
precious rights of man, every citizen may speak, write, and publish freely, provided he is
responsible for the abuse of this liberty, in cases determined by law.
XII. A public force being necessary to give security to the rights of men and of citizens,
that force is instituted for the benefit of the community and not for the particular benefit
of the persons to whom it is intrusted.
XIII. A common contribution being necessary for the support of the public force, and for
defraying the other expenses of government, it ought to be divided equally among the
members of the community, according to their abilities.
XIV. Every citizen has a right, either by himself or his representative, to a free voice in
determining the necessity of public contributions, the appropriation of them, and their
account, mode of assessment, and duration.
XV. Every community has had a right to demand of all its agents an account of their
conduct.
XVI. Every community in which a separation of powers and a security of rights is not
provided for, wants a constitution.
XVII. The right to property being inviolable and sacred, no one ought to be deprived of
it, except in cases of evident public necessity, legally ascertained, and on condition of a
previous just indemnity.
