The Exchange

For my first contribution to this online publication I have deliberately chosen to avoid discussing a specific human rights issue. The term ‘human rights’ has become more than a legal concept, more than a field of study or practice, it has become an ideology. Despite all the political propaganda, which beckons the masses to choose one ideology over all others, all ideologies share two common characteristics; theoretically they are aimed at constructing a virtuous society, but their practical application leaves a wake of vices. It is therefore crucial for all to understand the concept of human rights to as high a degree as our intellectual capacity allows, to consider its philosophical foundations, and to scrutinise the consequences of its practical application.

Let’s begin from the beginning - what’s in a name? What is the meaning of ‘human’ and why are these rights limited to this category? What are they protecting, our individual autonomy, our abilities to exercise this autonomy or the cohesion and well being of our communities? Does this concept have the same meaning for all humans? When two rights clash, how do we decide which one is more important? Are we concealing ulterior motivations behind the banner of human rights? The pool of questions to consider is vast and none have a simple answer, but the more we question the nature of our ideology, the less likely we are to cause harm with our blinding ambition to do good. There is no denying it; we are living in an era of change. The concrete foundation of sovereignty, which has ruled our conception of statehood since 1648, is beginning to crack under pressure from a rising ideology aimed at protecting our individual integrity. If the Peace Treaty of Westphalia erected the walls of state sovereignty to protect communities from the harm caused by those who wage war in the name of good, are we not in danger of going around in a full circle? We may no longer judge the actions of communities and their leaders based on our interpretation of the word of God; instead we have created a refined code of universal morality for the modern man, based on philosophy and science. How can we guarantee that our new conception of the good does not become an ideological basis for causing harm? The interventions in Kosovo and Iraq come to mind. If the notion of human rights is indeed an ideology, this term yields great power.

Forgive the cliché phrase, but with great power comes great responsibility, and the first responsibility is to understand the extent and ramifications of this power. An ideology only functions when all members of society believe in it, hence it is the responsibility of all active members of our society to consider and question the meaning of this concept. Only then will we make progress towards a society of virtue, only then can we avoid the practical downfall of all other ideologies.