Universal Human Rights

Abstract

One central measure of a government’s legitimate membership (or not) in the international community of nations is the respect that it demonstrates (or not) for fundamental human rights. Human rights are justified moral claims that human beings make on other human beings on the basis of their common humanity. Universal human rights are an important measure of any government’s legitimacy, because they apply in all societies everywhere. This does not mean that all peoples should demand exactly the same structure of rights in their different communities. Circumstances differ from place to place and are never exactly the same. But sincere deliberation about the application of universal human rights to a particular set of circumstances yields remarkable consensus across cultures. Circumstances vary, but human nature does not. Disagreements about the sources, application, enforcement, and limits of universal human rights usually turn on private interests, rather than real differences of perception or understanding.