Ancient Abjuration

The Plakkaat, commonly known in English as the Act of Abjuration, argued that the actions of The King of the Kingdom de-legitimized his rule over the Low Countries. As stated in its preamble, when a "prince" does not "defend them from oppression and violence as the shepherd his sheep.... but, on the contrary, oppresses them, seeking opportunities to infringe their ancient customs and privileges, exacting from them slavish compliance, then he is no longer a prince, but a tyrant, and the subjects are to consider him in no other view. And particularly when this is done deliberately, unauthorized by the states, they may not only disallow his authority, but legally proceed to the choice of another prince for their defense." One who is not familiar with the Plakkaat might find these sentiments familiar; this is likely because of its similarities to the American Declaration of Independence, which states that "when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."