Of all the revolutionary ideas in the Declaration of Independence by far the most extraordinary was man’s inalienable right to pursue happiness.
In the course of human history there had been revolutions, revolts armed uprising and a few peaceful exchanges of power, not many but a few.
But for all the political upheavals the human race knew, not a one proclaimed happiness or the lack there of as a reason for setting the world on fire. Men did fight for freedom, men did fight for liberty and men did fight for their religion but no one manned the barricades to fight for happiness.
As emotions go it is pretty simple, a six month old baby, even younger can feel happy while feeling depressed thoughtful or ecstatic are simply beyond their 30 second attention span.
Until 1776, happiness and its pursuit was not thought to be so important to grown ups. Adults had serious things to worry about like not getting the plague or running afoul of the Inquisition and eating.
The British must have thought Tom Jefferson’s little missive called the Declaration of Independence a little foolish, akin to the demands of a spoiled child stamping his foot.
History however has proved them wrong. First of all just because men never before won a revolution for happiness did not mean that they couldn’t, and they did.
Secondly and most importantly our pursuit of happiness may have saved our revolution.
It may not have seen like much but consider this. Of all the previous and future revolutions, those that did not proclaim people’s personal happiness as an individual right soon degenerated back to tyranny as bad or worse from they one replaced.
The French, Russian, German and Iranian revolutions may have gotten rid of hated rulers but increase happiness? NOT.
And so it is with the Arab Spring. Dictators may be on the run, but we doubt that their people will be significantly freer ten years down the road, because they don’t say a thing about happiness.
Maybe the cure for oppression and brutality and tyranny is not just the ballot box but happiness or at least the pursuit there of.
Perhaps in this election year the question should be asked of us should be- are you happier than you were four years ago? And not- are you better off?
And perhaps the future of our republic depends on the answer.