Power Enduring Issue

In this three documents, a clear enduring issue was power. In this documents, there were clear displays of unfair distributions of power in the government. There were also power struggles. The people had tough relationships with the ruler to rule and accompanied with social class tensions. This caused and forced the people to demand the ability of the people to have a voice in government.

In document 1, John Locke gives advice on government, highlighting his key ideas. His ideas were based on Enlightenment ideas. Locke advises that in a government all people are queal and independent and that no one should harm other’s life, liberty, and property. According to Locke, he also believes that “governments are made by the consent of the people.” This quote shows that people need the ability to have a voice in government. With the people’s consent, the government should be formed on the opinion of the majority of the population.

In document 3, the National Assembly writes the “Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen” in 1789. Based on the ideas of the Enlightenment, article 1 explains that “Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good.” This is an example of the power of in social class tensions. They believe that the differences in the social classes should only exist to the behalf the majority of the people. According to the the National Assembly, they also believe that every man is free and equal in the rights of liberty, property, and security. This is the same exact beliefs of John Locke.

Additionally, in document 4, Simon Bolivar in “The Jamaica Letter” in 1815 claimed that the people of the American hemisphere were “not only deprived of our rights but has kept us in a sort of permanent infancy in public affairs.” This claims that the people of Venezuela were not only didn't have power or a voice in government by also removed from the politics entirely. This is a clear evidence of the power and a piece of advice that Locke gave in document 1.

In conclusion, these 3 documents have clear displays of the enduring issue of power. They had tough times and decisions but all required voices in government.