Commentary
First published in 2014, Professor Danielle Allen’s Our Declaration has been reissued with a new foreword this year to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
This commentary was originally published on the Harvard Kennedy School website.
First published in 2014, James Bryant Conant University Professor and Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at the Ash Center Danielle Allen’s Our Declaration has been reissued with a new foreword this year to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Our Declaration shares Allen’s personal story about teaching this foundational American document along with an account of the colonial world in which it was written and the philosophy that it expresses. “The purpose of this account will not be to retell a well-known tale but rather to discover, through that tale, the birth of the Declaration, the art of democratic writing,” Allen explains. “Democracies are built out of language. To succeed as citizens, we need to understand this fundamental political fact.”
Allen’s primary argument is that the Declaration of Independence is not simply about the concept of individual liberty but also about political equality, and that these two notions are interrelated. “Ideally, if political equality exists, citizens become co-creators of their shared world,” Allen writes. “Freedom from domination and the opportunity for co-creation maximize the space available for individual and collective flourishing.”
Q+A
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, questions about the nation’s history — and whose stories shape its meaning — have renewed significance. Moderated by journalist and political commentator Eugene Scott, a recent panel discussion explored how Americans’ understanding of the past informs national identity, perceptions of democracy, and civic engagement.
Additional Resource
Published as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights’ essay collection “Self-Evident Truths” gathers faculty and fellows across Harvard’s schools including the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, to examine how well America has fulfilled its promise that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights.
The included essays span democracy, technology, public health, immigration, climate, and more, providing a nuanced look at what is required to fully realize the nation’s founding ideals today.
Feature
Ash Center Fellow Jon Alexander joined a diverse group of speakers at TED Democracy Philadelphia to share bold ideas for revitalizing modern democracy.
