The Views of Jefferson and Stanton

Pretend for a moment a giant asteroid just hit the earth and killed everyone, but two people. The only survivors include Thomas Jefferson and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Their task is now to recreate a society by implementing their views of a new world. They must repopulate the earth and bring civilization out of ruin. Jefferson has an elaborate background in creating a new government. Stanton, on the other hand, is a feminist who advocated for women's rights prior to the giant asteroid. Working together as a team, they will create a peaceful world.

Due to their backgrounds in fighting for equality and harmony, Jefferson and Stanton will create a world filled with peace and not evil. Prior to the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson and the Thirteen Colonies faced a tyrant from abroad ruling over their lives. Due to their oppression they had decided to create the Declaration and break apart from their ruler. Stanton, in her time, faced a world of oppression from males. She fought for female's rights and saw their treatment as unjust in everyday life. As each of the two scholars faced oppression of some form, they now have the perfect opportunity to create a new world. Because of their experiences of great evil, Jefferson and Stanton do not want to relive their past. They will without a doubt create a world based on peace. In particular, men and women will stand on the same plane, and the new world will not lack equality between the sexes.

Jefferson emphasized rights for men in the Declaration of Independence and Stanton sought rights for women. Some believe Jefferson and Stanton have too many differences to create a utopia, however Jefferson addressed men, and Stanton addressed women, which in combining their thoughts will create a peaceful new world. Jefferson knows what men want, and Stanton knows what women want. Jefferson knows men do not want a tyrant controlling their every move and he knows men would rather run a government on their own. Stanton said, "They [people] are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness [. . . ]" (172). Stanton had also added, "Which place her in a position inferior to that of man, are contrary to the great precept of nature, and therefore of no force or authority" (175). Men cannot push women to an inferior position because women, defined by nature, have no inferiority of men. Stanton strongly believes women should have the ability to participate in the same societal-activities as men. As men usually play an active role in society and its politics, Stanton pushes women to take an active role as well. After having a brief quarrel with each other, neither Jefferson nor Stanton would see one sex as superior to another, they simply want equality for the people living in their new world. Equality is more important than putting one sex above the other. Through equality, no one individual may rein as heir to the new world. The new world will draw its powers from the consent of the governed.

The new world's government will derive its powers from the people where no tyrant has a place in the new world. Jefferson wrote, "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed" (78). No longer will power reside in a single individual. The new world's power will fall to the people and not rest with one man. Stanton strongly opposes the idea of a single male ruler, and Jefferson would never want to face tyranny again. Jefferson provides a safeguard, should the new government ever fail, by strongly believing, "Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it [oppression], and to institute a new Government [ . . . ]" (78). Assuming everything goes well, the new government will have no such reason to fall apart and people will enjoy their freedom.

People will have freedom and will not face oppression. Jefferson among the Thirteen Colonies of the United States had previously faced tyranny. Jefferson once said, "He [tyrant] has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good" (79). Living under a tyrannical rule, Jefferson saw no laws other than the word of a tyrant; essentially a tyrant's rule is "God." Jefferson, and the people of the Thirteen Colonies also faced taxes without prior consent, and large armies quartering among them. Jefferson thus felt, "They [people] have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which [ . . . ] may of right do" (81). Stanton, like Jefferson, said, "The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her" (173). Stanton made various complaints about men towards women including men would not allow women to vote in elections, or obtain certain jobs. Stanton said, "As a teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not known" (174). Stanton also would never subject a new government to oppression, and she would thus want freedom for all. She believes, "All men and women are created equal" (172).

The new world will have peace, equality, cooperation, and freedom. For any so called "good" government to last, any government should possess those four previously mentioned qualities. If any government lacks any of the four mentioned qualities, most likely the government will fail and evil will prevail. Like any government Jefferson's and Stanton's society will have its troubles. They have enough experience, however, to make appropriate decisions to determine the future of the new world. They know first hand, no single ruler should shatter the people's lives. They also know people should work together to form a government. Through working together, people will retain their equality and freedoms. Jefferson and Stanton would gladly create the perfect world, if ever given the chance to.

Works Cited

Jefferson, Thomas. The Declaration of Independence. A World of Ideas: EssentialReadings for College Writers. 6th ed. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. Boston: Bedford, 2002. 78-81.

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. "Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions." A World ofIdeas: Essential Readings for College Writers. 6th ed. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. Boston: Bedford, 2002. 172-176.