Concept thread · Rights

minority rights

The principle that, even though the majority's will prevails, the minority retain equal rights which equal law must protect and which the majority may not violate without oppression.

The thread

1. 1801 · assertsnuanced
   Jefferson proclaims that majority will is rightful only when reasonable, and that the minority retain equal rights which equal law must protect.
   ⚖ Jefferson calls this "a sacred principle" that everyone "will bear in mind" — he is announcing a self-evident truth, not arguing a case, so the link to the minority-rights idea is sound: the minority "possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression." Notice, though, that the words about majority will only being "rightful" when "reasonable" are a separate point about the majority, gathered into the same sentence; the part that actually states the minority-rights principle is the clause about equal rights and equal law.
   First Inaugural Address →

Related threads

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• factionsargued together
• militiaargued together

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