Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What happens when a government gives itself total power?
In Grievance 22 of the Declaration of Independence, Sasha Rickard, Assistant Director at MIT Concourse, explains how Parliament suspended colonial legislatures and claimed the right to make laws for the colonies in all cases whatsoever.
For colonists, this crossed a line. Laws were supposed to come from representatives chosen by the people, not imposed by a distant government with no input.
Drawing on the ideas of John Locke, this wasn’t just unfair, it was dangerous. Claiming absolute power over the colonies was seen as an act of aggression and a violation of the social contract.
By dissolving local governments and taking full control, Britain wasn’t just changing policy. Colonists believed it was destroying their right to self-government and putting them under unchecked authority.
This is Part 22 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
Explore more:
billofrightsinstitute.org/constitution-day
#DeclarationOfIndependence #Grievance22 #AmericanRevolution #USHistory #Civics #JohnLocke #SocialContract #SelfGovernment
What happens when a government gives itself total power?
In Grievance 22 of the Declaration of Independence, Sasha Rickard, Assistant Director at MIT Concourse, explains how Parliament suspended colonial legislatures and claimed the right to make laws for the colonies in all cases whatsoever.
For colonists, this crossed a line. Laws were supposed to come from representatives chosen by the people, not imposed by a distant government with no input.
Drawing on the ideas of John Locke, this wasn’t just unfair, it was dangerous. Claiming absolute power over the colonies was seen as an act of aggression and a violation of the social contract.
By dissolving local governments and taking full control, Britain wasn’t just changing policy. Colonists believed it was destroying their right to self-government and putting them under unchecked authority.
This is Part 22 of our 27-part series breaking down every grievance that led to the American Revolution, building toward Independence Day.
Explore more:
billofrightsinstitute.org/constitution-day
#DeclarationOfIndependence #Grievance22 #AmericanRevolution #USHistory #Civics #JohnLocke #SocialContract #SelfGovernment
