Human Rights and Civil Society

Question 1

What are Human Rights often equated to?

Answer 1

God-Given Rights

Question 2

Are people born with these rights?

Answer 2

Yes

Question 3

Explain Thomas Jefferson’s idea of HR.

Answer 3

Inspired by Locke, the Philadelphia Declaration included that everybody is entitled to Life, Libert, Property, and Pursuit of Happiness

Question 4

What are the four
basic human rights?

Answer 4

Life, Liberty, Property, and Pursuit of Happiness

Question 5

What are the two basic opposed POVs on HR?

Answer 5

a) Universalist (natural law, everybody has rights just because they are humans, god-given rights)
b) Relativist (legal positivism, every single right or freedom is born out of the decision of the legislative power)

Question 6

what is the middle ground between universalists and relativists?

Answer 6

that is called inclusive positivism
and positivism is inspired by natural law

Question 7

What are the oldest laws in the world?

Answer 7

Ten Commandments

Question 8

What is the focus of the GN on HRs?

Answer 8

focuses on negative rights (what can the government not do to me?) (have the right to vote so gov cannot ban it from me) very individualistic Negative rights are rights that protect a person from interference by others, such as the government

Question 9

What is the focus of the GS on HRs?

Answer 9

focuses on positive rights (what can the government do for me?) more social rights Positive rights are rights that require the government to take action or provide something to ensure people’s well-being

Question 10

according to John Finnis, what is integral human fulfillment?

Answer 10

life
knowledge
practical reasonableness
play
aesthetic experience
friendship
religion

Question 11

What are the UN protocol covenants regarding human rights?

Answer 11

• Un declaration of HR
• International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination
• Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishement
• convention on the rights if the child
• declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples

Question 12

what are the three human rights protection systems?

Answer 12

• inter-american system of Human Rights (older, created by OAS)
• African Court on Human and People’s Rights
• Arab court of human rights