Question

According to the philosophy that inspired the Declaration of Independence, what is one quality of an inalienable right?

A. It cannot be taken away by a government.
B. It is defined differently in each nation.
C. It is given by a government.
D. It guarantees a person happiness in life.

Answer 1

The correct option is option A ("It cannot be taken away by a government").

The nature of inalienable rights, as introduced in the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson, is guaranteeing the safety of certain liberties given to the population. These contemplated the most basic needs for the welfare of an individual, such as the rights of "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness". The quality that best characterizes a right as inalienable, is that it cannot be taken away by any government or legal power.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

A. It cannot be taken away by a government.

"Inalienable" means "unable to be taken away from or given away by the possessor."

This makes choice (A) as your answer, for if the rights cannot be taken away from, it means that even the government cannot take away the rights.

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