30 Years of Abstract Interpretation

France and the United States have a rich history of shared ideals and principles. As evidence, I present to you that in 1776, the founding fathers of the United States of America signed the Declaration of Independence. With this document as a model, in 1789 the French Assembly published the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Like the Declaration of Independence, the French Declaration of 1789 comprised a statement of principles rather than a constitution with legal effect. Just think about it: over two centuries ago, the founding fathers and the French Assembly appreciated the value of a good specification! Needless to say, the two countries diverged quite a bit when it came to implementation.