Because I can tell you all day and all night that you have the "right" to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" - but if I don't DO ANYTHING to insure that your life is protected and your liberty is protected then you have no fair shot at "pursuing happiness".
The words themselves sound good, but without a coherent and reliable enforcement mechanism, those words are hollow aphorisms.
RE: MODERN = GOOD, OLD = BAD