---
title: "The Declaration of the Rights of Man | Model Diplomat"
description: "Explore the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which declared all men free and equal, and the fierce debate over who that promise truly included."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/lessons/declaration-of-rights"
---

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The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

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# The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

The revolutionary document that declared all men free and equal — and the fierce debate about who 'all men' actually included.

## Universal Rights — In Theory

Adopted on August 26, 1789, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen proclaimed principles that would echo across centuries: 'Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.' It established freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to property, popular sovereignty, and the principle that law must be the expression of the general will.

The Declaration drew on multiple sources: Enlightenment philosophy (Rousseau, Montesquieu, Voltaire), the American Declaration of Independence, and the English Bill of Rights. Its author, the Marquis de Lafayette, consulted Thomas Jefferson, who was serving as American ambassador to France.

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