Declaration of Rebellion

Declaration-RAS — The signing of the Declaration.

The Declaration of Rebellion was a document addressed to the Galactic Emperor, Palpatine, that marked the formal declaration of open resistance against the Galactic Empire. It was crafted by Mon Mothma, and ratified by the representatives at the Corellian System Meetings, and was designed to push back against the Imperial notion that the Rebel Alliance was a group of terrorists.

The Declaration was released prior to the Battle of Yavin. The newly formed Alliance distributed millions of copies of the Declaration. In the declaration, the principles and grievances of the Alliance were laid out, and it concluded with an open vow to overthrow Palpatine's regime.

The Declaration of Rebellion proved so stirring that a number of systems decided to openly declare their defiance of the Empire against Mon Mothma's advice. Those systems paid the price for their political imprudence as the Empire reacted swiftly to their actions with ruthlessly overwhelming force and suppressed them.

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Attribution: The Declaration of Rebellion from the Alliance to Restore the Republic^[1]

We, the beings of the Rebel Alliance, do this day send forth this Declaration to His Majesty, the Emperor, and to all sentient beings in the Galaxy, to make clear to all the Purposes and Goals of this Rebellion.
We firmly acknowledge the importance and necessity of the institution of Galactic Government. We accept that all must subjugate themselves to that Government, giving up certain rights and freedoms, in return for peace, prosperity and happiness for all.
We believe that the Galactic Government derives its power and right to rule from the consent of the governed. We believe that, should the rights of free beings be willfully and malignantly usurped, it is the unalienable right of said beings to alter or abolish said Government.
We believe that the Galactic Empire has willfully and malignantly usurped the rights of the free beings of the Galaxy and therefore, it is our unalienable right to abolish it from the Galaxy.
We do not take this course lightly. Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes, but when a Government displays a history of usurpation, abuse and moral atrocity, displaying a clear design to subjugate totally and absolutely beings born free under the auspices of nature, it is our right—our duty—to depose of that Government.
The history of the present Galactic Empire is of repeated injuries upon its members, with the direct objective of establishing you, Emperor Palpatine, as absolute tyrant over the Galaxy:

You have disbanded the Senate, the voice of the people;

You have instituted a policy of blatant racism and genocide against the nonhuman peoples of the Galaxy;

You have overthrown the chosen leaders of planets, replacing them with Moffs and Governors of your choice;

You have raised taxes without the consent of those taxed;

You have murdered and imprisoned millions without benefit of trial;

You have unlawfully taken land and property;

You have expanded the military far beyond what is necessary and prudent, for the sole purpose of oppressing your subjects.

We, the Rebel Alliance, do therefore in the name—and by the authority—of the free beings of the Galaxy, solemnly publish and declare our intentions:

To fight and oppose you and your forces, by any and all means at our disposal;

To refuse any Imperial law contrary to the rights of free beings;

To bring about your destruction and the destruction of the Galactic Empire;

To make forever free all beings in the galaxy.

To these ends, we pledge our property, our honor, and our lives.