Over time, I’ve written varied posts and articles on the American Revolution and the beliefs of the Declaration of Independence. Some have apparent persevering with relevance to such points as id politics, nationalism, immigration, the position of slavery in American historical past, and extra.
This put up is an enlargement of final yr’s related compendium.
I hope the hyperlinks are helpful, and stir reflection on the ideas of the Declaration. Until in any other case famous, all of those items had been revealed as posts on the Volokh Conspiracy weblog. I put them in chronological order:
“The Declaration of Independence and the Case for Non-Ethnic Secession,” July 4, 2009.
“The Declaration of Independence and the Case for a Polity Based mostly on Common Ideas,” July 4, 2017.
“The Universalist Ideas of the Declaration of Independence,” July 4, 2019. Why it issues that the Declaration elevates common liberal ideas over racial, ethnic, and cultural particularism.
“The Case In opposition to the Case In opposition to the American Revolution,” July 4, 2019. A rebuttal to longstanding claims – superior by critics on each proper and left – that the Revolution did extra hurt than good.
“Slavery, the Declaration of Independence and Frederick Douglass’ ‘What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?'”, July 4, 2020. Douglass’s well-known speech sheds gentle on a few of America’s biggest evils – but additionally on the nice good carried out by the Revolution and Founding. I believe Douglass’s speech could be the greatest-ever Fourth of July oration.
“Juneteenth and the Universalist Ideas of the American Revolution,” June 19, 2021. Why there isn’t a inconsistency in celebrating each July 4 and the abolition of slavery. Certainly, the 2 are mutually reinforcing.
“Immigration and the Ideas of the Declaration of Independence,” July 4, 2021. This piece explains why the beliefs of the Declaration and the Founding require free migration rights.
“Juneteenth Celebrates a Nice American Achievement,” June 19, 2023. An extension of a number of the key factors made in my 2021 Juneteenth put up, linked above.
“The Declaration of Independence Promotes Particular person Liberty Greater than Collective Self-Willpower,” July 4, 2023. The “liberty” the Declaration advocates is extra about particular person freedom than the facility of majorities to rule over the remainder of society, or the facility of ethnic teams to rule “their” territory.
“The Case In opposition to Nationalism,” Nationwide Affairs, Winter 2024 (with Alex Nowrasteh). This text is a extra normal critique of nationalism. However it features a part explaining why nationalism is inimical to the beliefs of the Declaration and the Founding.
“Trump vs. the Declaration of Independence,” July 4, 2025. A number of gadgets on Declaration of Independence checklist of grievances towards George III additionally apply to Trump at present, most notably on immigration, commerce, and deportation with out due course of. Like King George, he’s “unfit to be the ruler of a free folks”:
