"DOM", not dumb ?

Hey guys,

I took a look at the basic principles of the Enlightenment Era on the handout we got in class, and laid that down next to the Declaration of the Rights of Man, and found that they do in fact, seem to reinforce these ideals.

Now, according to the handout from Mr. Chaput, the ideals of an Enlightenment thinker, to keep in mind are these:
-Reason
-Toleration
-Natural Law
-Change and Progress are good
-Deism

First, in the D.O.M.,  number two claims that "the aim of all political association is the preservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man".... this idea of natural rights, and having natural rights is something we have already discussed in class as an enlightenment ideal. Summarizing, they are saying that having an opinion about politics is allowing for the preservation, or keeping and reinforcing, of a human's natural rights. Now, it is interesting here because it is being used as a political natural right, not necessarily as a social, which is what I've always thought of it as. 

Number 9 also shows some idea of tolerance : . As all persons are held innocent until they shall have been declared guilty, if arrest shall be deemed indispensable, all harshness not essential to the securing of the prisoner's person shall be severely repressed by law." Again, very similar to present day American Bill Of Rights.... and the respect for a major theme of Toleration. However, it seems a little ironic to be discussing toleration in a revolution where you could be beheaded by the guilotinne for any and everything. 

Another major theme for these Enlightenment thinkers is that of "reason"... now I think the entire document of the D.O.M. is perfect proof that there was some sort of reason for creating it, and that there is always a reason to wrong things and a way to fix them. The same holds true for change and progress, although it again seems ironic because while there is some change and progress, there is little betterment during the revoltuion for the middle and lower classes... 

Thanks for pondering w me... Talk to you all in class.

Nat