As America prepares for 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed this July, Michigan State University has offered students the ability to explore and debate concepts of political life, civic education and political philosophy. Every year, the program has a guiding theme, with this year’s focus on the “pursuit of happiness.”
Founded in 1989 through the generous support of Samuel J. LeFrak, MSU’s LeFrak Forum is housed in the Department of Political Science but remains open to all MSU undergraduate students. The forum is designed to inspire future leaders and promote political philosophy and engagement on campus.
Raul Rodriguez is the director of the forum, as well as an assistant professor of political thought at the College of Social Science. Here, he answers questions on what the “pursuit of happiness” means two-and-a-half centuries later.
Why is it important for students to learn about the ‘pursuit of happiness’?
The question of happiness is arguably the most important inquiry any individual will ever make. Whether we realize it or not, we all inevitably form an answer to this question.
Given the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, I believed it was a fitting opportunity to make the ‘pursuit of happiness’ the theme of the forum. The declaration famously states that all people are endowed with the right to pursue happiness. However, what constitutes happiness? The answer to this question is neither straightforward nor universally accepted. We cannot hope to exercise this right effectively — let alone attain happiness — without first reflecting on what happiness truly means. To this end, the forum has hosted a variety of events — public lectures, undergraduate seminars and conferences — that encourage students and members of the wider MSU community to explore this question. We hope these events will foster a deeper appreciation of the Declaration of Independence and the extraordinary right to pursue happiness it proclaims.
Why is it important to engage students on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution?
As citizens of the United States, there is perhaps no more essential set of texts to understand. In my youth, I had limited knowledge of the declaration and the Constitution and the rights enshrined in both documents. Fortunately, I had exceptional graduate professors at Notre Dame who helped me grasp the philosophical foundations of American political philosophy. I see it as my duty as a professor to educate Michigan students and teachers about the declaration and the Constitution. Understanding these documents helps cultivate thoughtful citizenship.
Abraham Lincoln famously stated that the rights articulated in the declaration and codified in the Constitution are the bedrock of our democracy and a safeguard against future tyranny. He characterized the declaration as the “apple of gold” and the Constitution as the “picture of silver,” framing and preserving it. Our goal is to ensure that all Michigan State students grasp the incredible blessings of liberty promised to all Americans.
The forum has engaged students with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution through various initiatives. First and foremost, we provide students with a pocket Constitution that contains the declaration. To my surprise, few students own copies of these documents; to my knowledge, no one on MSU’s campus distributes them to undergraduate students. We have made a concerted effort to ensure that all our students possess copies. Furthermore, we have organized several seminars, lectures and trips to help students understand the deeper meanings of the declaration. We will continue these efforts in the coming year.
How do we reconcile complicated history over two centuries later?
This question is crucial and often prevents modern-day students from openly engaging with the declaration and the Constitution. Many students believe that, due to past injustices — particularly the tragic history of slavery — the declaration and the Constitution are relics of a flawed past. While it is right to lament these injustices, it is incorrect to view these documents as fundamentally flawed or the root cause of past injustices. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, these documents enabled great statesmen like Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass to confront the hypocrisy of the past and usher in a new birth of freedom for all Americans. As Douglass understood, America did not need to fundamentally alter its declared purpose; rather, it needed to ‘rise to the dignity of its professions.’ According to Douglass, the founding ideals were not defective from the outset; they required a revival of their original principles. The declaration and the Constitution remain critically important for the success of American democracy and the protection of liberty now and in the future.
What does the ‘pursuit of happiness’ mean 250 years later?
Now, more than ever, we have unprecedented opportunities to pursue happiness. While political and economic fluctuations exist, we generally enjoy an extraordinary amount of individual and communal freedom. Paradoxically, this freedom can hinder our ability to define what happiness means for us personally. We are inundated with distractions and new possibilities that sometimes prevent us from engaging in serious self-examination. Although recent innovations, such as AI, offer us new perspectives and possibilities, I fear that these technologies may ultimately hinder rather than enhance our quest for happiness. Consequently, some of the highest forms of freedom and happiness may unknowingly become increasingly elusive.
What else should people know about the forum?
It is important to underscore the LeFrak Forum is a vibrant center for intellectual debate, dedicated to fostering freedom of thought and serious reflection on the enduring questions of human existence. Through diverse undergraduate programming, public lectures and conferences, the forum invites the MSU community and beyond to engage in open discussions on the most pressing issues of modern democracy.
The LeFrak Fellows Program serves as a premier academic community for undergraduates at MSU. Participants engage in seminars, public lectures and social forums, encouraging them to explore fundamental questions such as: What is justice? What is freedom? What is happiness? By candidly debating these concepts, students gain a deeper understanding of themselves and our constitutional republic. The program’s mission is to promote thoughtful political discourse that strengthens rather than divides, enlightens rather than confuses, and ennobles rather than degrades the MSU community. The Fellows Program is open to all MSU students.
- We also have some upcoming events open to campus and the public. On Sept. 3, we will offer undergraduate students an exclusive seminar with a leading political and constitutional theorist, Phillip Muñoz from Notre Dame. Muñoz will also deliver a public lecture “What Should We Celebrate When We Celebrate the Fourth of July?” at 5 p.m. at the Graduate hotel.
