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The limits of majority rule are prescribed by whatever may be done "rightfully" by "unanimous consent." Unanimity thus limits the sphere of government, and of majority rule, to those purposes for which human beings surrender their natural rights. This excludes from the sphere of government "the reserved rights of individuals," such as conscience. But unanimity itself is in turn limited by the requirement of rightfulness. It cannot authorize violations of the "rights of humanity" of those outside the political community, such as slavery, torture, or predatory wars. This is why the opinion of the sovereign people exercising their sovereignty must be enlightened and subject to the claims of justice an the rights of humanity.

Wiki MarkupIn James Madison's words, "True it is, that no other rule exists, but which any question which may divide a Society, can be ultimately determined, but the will of the majority; but it is also true that the majority may trespass on the rights of the minority" (_Writings _\[New York: Library of American, 1999\]: 30 \ [Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments (1785)\]).

The teaching of the Declaration of Independence defines our human place in the universe in terms of our distance from God no less than our distance from the beasts.

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