The French people, as represented at the National Assembly,
consider that the ignorance, disregard or contempt of human rights
are the sole causes of the nation's misfortunes and of the corruption
of governments and have resolved to state the natural, inalienable
and sacred human rights in a solemn declaration, so that this
declaration be a constant reminder to the members of the body
politic of their rights and their duties; so that as the actions
of the legislative and those of the executive power may be compared
at any time with the aim of all political institutions, these
actions shall be more respectful of that aim; so that the claims
of the citizens, based henceforth on simple and indisputable principles,
always be turned towards upholding the Constitution and the common
good.
Consequently, the National Assembly acknowledges and declares
in the presence of and under the auspices of the Supreme Being,
the following rights of man and citizen.
Article One - All people shall have equal rights upon birth
and ever after. General utility is the only permissible basis
for social distinctions.
Article 2 - The aim of all political associations shall be to
preserve man's natural and imprescriptible rights. These are the
right to freedom, property, safety and the right to resist oppression.
Article 3 - The principle of all sovereignty resides in the Nation.
No body or individual may exercise any power other than that expressly
emanating from the Nation.
Article 4 - Freedom is the power to do anything which does not
harm another: therefore, the only limits to the exercise of each
person's natural rights are those which ensure that the other
members of the community enjoy those same rights. Legislation
only may set these limits.
Article 5 - Only actions harmful to the community may be made
illegal. No-one may be prevented from doing that which the law
does not forbid, nor be forced to do that which the law does not
command.
Article 6 - Legislation expresses the overall will. All citizens,
either in person or through their representatives, are entitled
to contribute to its formation. Legislation must be the same for
all, whether it serves to protect or to punish. As all citizens
are equal in the eye of the law, positions of high rank, public
office and employment are open to all on an equal basis according
to ability and without any distinction other than that based on
their merit or skill.
Article 7 - A person may be accused, arrested or detained only
in the cases specified by law and in accordance with the procedures
which the law provides. Those who solicit, forward, carry out
or have arbitrary orders carried out shall be punished; however,
any citizen summoned or apprehended pursuant to law must obey
forthwith; by resisting, he admits his guilt.
Article 8 - Only penalties which are strictly and clearly necessary
may be established by law, and no-one may be punished other than
pursuant to a law established and enacted prior to the offence,
and applied lawfully.
Article 9 - As all persons are presumed innocent until declared
guilty, force used in making indispensable arrests which exceeds
that needed, shall be severely punished by law.
Article 10 - No-one may be troubled due to his opinions, whether
or not they are on religious issues provided that the expression
of these opinions does not disturb the peace.
Article 11 - Free communication of ideas and opinions is one of
the most precious human rights; all citizens may therefore speak,
write and print freely, though they may be required to answer
for abusing this right in cases specified by law.
Article 12 - The protection of the rights of man and the citizen
requires a police force; consequently this force is established
in the interest of all, not in that of those to whom it has been
entrusted.
Article 13 - The maintenance of the police force and administration
expenses require public contributions. These contributions are
to be borne by the citizens equally according to their resources.
Article 14 - All citizens have the right, either in person or
through their representatives, to ascertain the need for the public
contributions, to freely authorize these contributions, to monitor
their use, and to determine the amount, basis, collection and
duration of contributions.
Article 15 - The community has the right to ask any public officer
to account for his service.
Article 16 - Any society in which rights are not guaranteed, nor
the scope of power determined, has no Constitution.
Article 17 - The right of ownership is an inviolable and sacred
right; one may not be deprived of one's property, unless where
public need, duly ascertained by law, clearly requires it, and
subject to the condition that fair and prior compensation be made.