Human Rights Criticism ?

[Poppytry]

Does anyone have criticisms of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

I have this essay question and I thought it would also be interesting to post it here seeing as it tackles the issue of western hegemony in relation to human rights.

"Rather than challenging oppression, human rights are a way of sustaining the present distribution of power in the world. Discuss"

[bricolage]

The idea of human right tend to imply that they are inherent, natural rights, problem is that we know all ideas of rights are social constructs. As such what passes as human rights are bourgeois conceptions of rights (even if we agree with some of them) and seeing them as natural attempts to legitimise them. So for example here is article 17 of the declaration;


Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Is this a natural, inherent, 'human' right?

[FSL]

problem is that we know all ideas of rights are social constructs.



Problem is that "we" don't know that. It would be great if everyone did however.

[ZeroNowhere]

Article 26.

[black_tambourine]

Read Badiou's Ethics for a critique of the broader concept of human rights.

[Wanted Man]

I can't help you with your essay directly. But on the general subject of "rights", this is a very good excuse to post this brilliant video:

hWiBt-pqp0E

[Poppytry]

I saw another clip by this same man before it was about the ten commandments. That was also brilliant.


Why mention article 26 Zero?