“All Men Are Created Equal”, Really? (V2)

Written by Frank Li

Below is a famous quote from the “Declaration of Independence“. As a slogan, it was very powerful and useful for America to defy the British King at the time. But its true validity has been in question ever since, with profound implications to date, not only for America, but also for the world.

Please share this article – Go to very top of page, right hand side, for social media buttons.

It is time to thoroughly clarify it: it is false!

In other words, not all men are created equal.

1. Contradiction from Day 1

Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia – All men are created equal – Slavery and the phrase.

Over the past 200 years, there have been numerous attempts to interpret the slogan “all men are created equal” differently …

2. Different interpretations

There are at least four major different interpretations:

1. Just the slogan, literally.
2. Reading beyond the slogan.
3. Going beyond the document.
4. It is an ideal.

Let me elaborate on each …

2.1 Just the slogan, literally

Simple slogans are often useful. They can empower people, and politicians like to use them.

2.2 Reading beyond the slogan

Below is the entire second paragraph in the document of the Declaration of Independence.

As you can see, following the sentence of “all Men are created equal”, there is a second sentence to elaborate it: “they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”.

So, the slogan really refers to some “unalienable Rights”, not equality for everything such as physical appearance or ability.

2.3 Going beyond the document

Here is an excellent article: The Declaration of Independence: “An Expression of the American Mind”. Below is an excerpt.

2.4 It is an ideal

When an ideal is too remote, it becomes a lie. One prominent example: communism.

Below is an excerpt from this “black” article: Our democracy’s founding ideals were false when they were written. Black Americans have fought to make them true.

2.5 Summary

People like simple slogans, without a mouthful elaboration. As a result, “all men are created equal”, an “expression of the American mind” in Jefferson’s words, has since been used mostly as a “principle” for all types of equality, from its correct usage for “equal right to pursue happiness” and “equal justice” to its totally abusive usage for “equal income” and “equal outcome”.

3. American history defies it!

America is still a young country. Yet, its short history is fraught with a long list of contradictions concerning the slogan of “all men are created equal”, with slavery being the most obvious example.

America did try to address the slavery issue … One example: the Three fifths Compromise. Another example: when slavery became irreconcilable with the so-called “Christian values”, America simply made slaves “property” (Slavery in the U.S.). What an arbitrary, self-serving way to deal with the blatant paradox! To no avail, America finally seriously addressed the issue with a Civil War, without final satisfaction even to this day. For more, read Racism in America.

4. Human history defies it!

We are born unequal, either in ability or in rights.

In terms of the ability, here is a famous quote in sports: “There is only one thing that cannot be taught or learned: height”.

In terms of the rights, two highlights:

1. American women were obviously not “men” enough to have the voting right until 1920 (19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women’s Right to Vote).
2. Many rights in America are mostly determined by the Zip code, into which one is born. For more, read Racism in America.

5. Closing

Not all men are created equal, either in theory or in practice!

.