The Reflections of Brigham Young on the Nature of Man and the State

Authors

J. Keith Melville

Keywords

Brigham Young, Philosophy, Political views, social views

Abstract

This article examines Brigham Young's views on free agency, natural rights and slavery, and revolution in man's relationship to the government. Brigham Young (1801-1877) was the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He saw a human lifetime as but a small piece of one's eternal existence. He said that man is more inclined to do good than to do evil. He believed that man is sovereign over his own actions, yet did not rule out the omnipotence of God. Man has the power to choose evil, which will lead to condemnation in the world to come. Young valued liberty of conscience and freedom of religious worship the most basic of all individual rights. He opposed slavery but allowed Indian slavery in Utah as a means to save children from abandonment and starvation. Regarding revolution, he saw it not only as man's right to resist oppression but his obligation.

Recommended Citation

Melville, J. Keith (1962) "The Reflections of Brigham Young on the Nature of Man and the State," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 4: Iss. 3, Article 7.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol4/iss3/7