The Principle
1. The traditional American philosophy teaches that the words “Life”
and “the pursuit of Happiness,” as used in the Declaration of
Independence, are so inclusive as to defy precise definition.
Ever Changing Nature of Goals, etc.
2. This is because they mean the right to Life to be lived, and
Happiness to be sought, in keeping with the fundamentals of Man’s
Liberty against Government-over-Man, according to each Individual’s own
goals, tastes, aspirations and ideals which are themselves in an
ever-changing state of development–from childhood to life’s end.
Definition Emphasizes Self-development, Self-discipline
3. “Life” thus means infinitely more than mere continued physical
existence. “Happiness” lies in freedom of opportunity of The
Individual–chiefly Freedom from Government-over-Man–to strive to realize
to the full his own highest potential with regard to all aspects of
life. “Happiness” is not a condition but an ideal of ever-changing
aspirations, of an ever-expanding vision of self-fulfillment through
self-realization and through self-development spiritually, morally,
intellectually, in every respect. This ideal and vision are incapable of
ever being fully defined, much less completely realized. It is a
never-ending process of inner growth, not something external to be
pursued and possessed. It is comparable to the horizon–ever-widening, as
viewed from peak to higher peak of attainment with heightened
understanding. As the sages of all ages have taught, true happiness–as
distinguished from mere satisfaction of desires–is to be achieved
primarily through such self-development and growth, with each
Individual’s progress depending on his own state of being and capacity.
This can come mainly through service of lofty goals, whether subjective
and personal or objective in character, which are conducive to
broadening vision and unceasing effort toward achievement. Each
Individual’s standard of happiness to be sought for self is
fundamentally subjective–not subject to external pressures or controls
of any sort from any source, least of all by government, and not subject
to being judged by others on any comparative basis, however seemingly
eccentric or inadequate in their opinion.
The particular rights to “Life” and to “the pursuit of Happiness,”
like all of the others among Man’s God-given, unalienable rights, are
subject to the requirements of the duty factor of Individual
Liberty-Responsibility under constitutionally limited government,
including especially the observance of due respect for the equal rights
of others. This involves self-discipline under self-government’s system
of Rule-by-Law (basically the people’s fundamental law, the
Constitution). Self-discipline is the alternative to being disciplined.
Innumerable Things of Limitless Scope
4. The things embraced by these words of the Declaration of
Independence: “Life” and “the pursuit of Happiness,” are innumerable and
limitless in scope. They are as incapable of being fully listed and
bounded as are the things embraced by that basic freedom: freedom of
choice–the freedom to do or not to do–among life’s innumerable
possibilities hour by hour, day by day, life-long.
The Key: Voluntary Cooperation Based on Spiritual Unity
5. According to the American philosophy, voluntary cooperation among
Individuals and groups of Individuals is the key to expression, in the
multitudinous ways of Free Men, of the spirit of harmonious and
progressive community life in the ethical environment of a sound
society, as part of the enjoyment of the right to “Life” and to “the
pursuit of happiness.” This means, of course, so long as their aims are
not violative of the equal rights of others or of just laws expressive
of “just powers” (to quote the term of the Declaration of Independence)
designed to safeguard the equal rights of all Individuals. Such
cooperation is, in truth, an outgrowth of inner unity and harmony among
Men born of Man’s spiritual nature–of spiritual brotherhood in the light
of the common Fatherhood of God. This is a part of equal freedom for
each and every Individual in the separate enjoyment of Life and the
pursuit of Happiness, with each one responding voluntarily, from
unfettered personal choice only, in any associative or cooperative
activity socially, economically, religiously, or politically. Here
“voluntary” highlights the key element.
The Practical Application Typical of Americans
6. The American philosophy teaches that in practice this pertains,
for example, to charitable, philanthropic, educational, religious,
fraternal and other community activities–local, regional, and national.
Among such activities by Individuals, illustrations of traditional
American practices in neighborhood and community are providing help on
the local level for the needy (who are incapable of self-help) as an
expression of the benevolent spirit of charity, as well as providing aid
to Individuals and institutions in the fields of education, medicine
(health), religion and child welfare. The American scene has
traditionally been characterized by such a free, generously full,
self-fulfilling and unceasing display of this practical idealism of
voluntary cooperation for group and community welfare–on such a massive
scale within, as well as among, communities generally on a country-wide
basis–as to be a highly distinctive feature of American life which
elevates its moral tone and, when understood, causes admiration
throughout the civilized world. It constitutes, in practice, a vital
part of the American concept of Individual Liberty-Responsibility,
expressive of The Individual’s self-defined duty based on a personal
moral code founded on religious-moral considerations and also stemming
from the fundamental American idealism of Free Man. The prime motive
here is one of Man’s loftiest attainments morally and spiritually:
compassion for his fellow-man, which ennobles the concept of charity–aid
given by the Individual to others.
Coercion Excluded
7. To be spiritual and moral, this cooperation–in the enjoyment of
the right to “Life” and “the pursuit of Happiness”–must never be in any
degree involuntary. It must be wholly free from any element of
interference or coercion, direct or indirect, by government or by
others. If not voluntary, it amounts to seeking a false goal such as
“forced brotherly love”–a concept which is self-contradictory. If not
voluntary, it can have no relationship to truly moral and spiritual
values underlying the principle of Man’s concern for the well-being of
his fellow-man. The moral and the spiritual, as opposed to coercion, are
mutually exclusive. Coerced unity, forced togetherness, can only be
external and create increased conflict and separateness because true
unity, which is inner or spiritual unity, is possible only among the
free in spirit–among genuinely Free Men.
No Sacrifice of Any Right of Any Individual
8. In connection with the meaning of the right to “Life” and to “the
pursuit of Happiness,” the American philosophy defines the common good,
or the general welfare, as being fundamentally and principally the sum
of the well-being of all Individuals acting voluntarily–alone as well as
cooperatively–in the separate and full enjoyment of their equal,
unalienable rights, especially the right to freedom of choice. It cannot
be saved by any sacrifice of any of these rights of any Individual–for
example, by any subordination of any of them to any Government-over-Man
philosophy’s goals, or coercive system. Any sacrifice of any right of
any Individual is morally wrong. It is also dangerous potentially to all
rights of all Individuals and, therefore, threatens grave injury to the
general welfare, to the common good, which depends basically upon
observance of due respect for the equal rights of each and every
Individual. Thus to victimize any Individual as to any of his
rights–through either government coercion, or by pressures by other
Individuals socially, economically, or otherwise–is to victimize
potentially every Individual because this sets a precedent which is
conducive to later disregard of the rights of others, to Individual
Liberty’s peril if not grave injury.
The End Does Not Justify the Means
9. No matter how “good” the end may seem to be, there could not
possibly be any justification for the use of evil means in pursuing it.
The precedent of doing so in one instance could not but be evil and
breed evil. No action or pronouncement by government contrary to those
guiding precepts could have any validity morally or constitutionally
under the American philosophy and system of constitutionally limited
government designed primarily to make and keep secure the equal rights
of all Individuals.
What Is Not Meant
10. Among the things excluded by the word “Happiness” (of The
Individual), under the traditional American philosophy, is any element
of Government’s providing economic support, or security, for the
people–of Government’s assuming the role, the authority and
responsibility, of satisfying their material desires. Such a role for
Government would have been considered by The Founders and their fellow
Americans to be the very antithesis of, as utterly hostile to, the
American philosophy of Man-over-Government. When they expressed ideas
such as that “The Happiness of society is the first law of every
government”–as stated, for example, by James Wilson–they contemplated
primarily and mainly Government’s fulfilling its assigned role, as the
creature and instrument of the people, as defined and limited in the
Declaration of Independence: to make and keep secure the God-given,
unalienable rights of The Individual. This means, above all else,
Government’s operating strictly and invariably within the confines of
its limited, enumerated powers as prescribed by the sovereign people in
their fundamental law, the Constitution, through which they create their
tool: Government. This is designed to serve the basic goal: of
Government’s being conducted by all public officials–within the
prescribed limits of their respective spheres of constitutional
authority and responsibility–so as to ensure to the maximum the people’s
freedom to enjoy their unalienable rights, notably their right to
Liberty: The Individual’s Freedom from Government-over-Man. The word
“Happiness” and the term “pursuit of Happiness”–as used in the
Declaration of Independence and by The Founders and their fellow
Americans–exclude everything in conflict with the foregoing
considerations.
The Conclusion
11. The American philosophy teaches that the conception of how best
to enjoy the benefits of the right to “Life” and to “the pursuit of
Happiness” is a strictly personal matter for each Individual as Free
Man–free in mind and spirit as well as in body and acting consistently
with the duties of Individual Liberty-Responsibility, including chiefly
the duty of respecting the equal rights (basically the constitutional
rights) of others–to the exclusion of any coercion by government or by
others.
