Overview
Human Rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world, from birth until death. They apply regardless of where you are from, what you believe, or how you choose to live your life.
Core Idea
The core idea is dignity. Every human being has inherent value. Rights are not gifts from the government; they are yours by birth.
Formal Definition
Defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948).
- Negative Rights: Freedom from interference (Free speech, no torture).
- Positive Rights: Freedom to something (Education, healthcare).
Intuition
It’s the global moral baseline.
- You can’t enslave people.
- You can’t kill people for their religion.
- You can’t silence dissent.
Examples
- Civil Rights Movement: Fighting for equal rights for African Americans.
- Amnesty International: An NGO that writes letters to dictators to free political prisoners.
- War Crimes: Violations of human rights during war (Geneva Conventions).
Common Misconceptions
- Misconception: They are universally enforced.
- Correction: They are “Soft Law.” There is no global police force. Violators (like China or Russia) often face no consequences other than “shaming.”
- Misconception: They are a Western invention.
- Correction: While codified in the West, the concepts of dignity and justice exist in almost all cultures.
Related Concepts
- International Law: The legal framework for rights.
- Natural Law: The philosophical idea that rights come from nature/God.
- Genocide: The ultimate violation of human rights.
Applications
- Asylum: Protecting refugees fleeing persecution.
- Sanctions: Punishing countries that violate rights.
Criticism and Limitations
- Cultural Relativism: Some argue human rights are “Western Imperialism” and don’t fit Asian or Islamic values.
- Enforcement: Without power, rights are just words on paper.
Further Reading
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Human Rights: A Very Short Introduction by Andrew Clapham