DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
President Gorbachov and many Western socialists argue that the socialist system can be saved by making it a democratic socialist system. But for a democratic government one criteria must be satisfied if it is to be legitimate, namely democratic rule must not infringe any individual’s rights without the consent of that individual. The state derives its just powers from the consent of the governed and those powers not so derived are not just. Majoritarian rule alone will not suffice. A minority may be ruled by the majority only if its members had consented previously to be bound by the outcome of the process. “Tacit” consent is not enough. Mr Justice Jackson expressed it succinctly in a 1943 US Supreme Court ruling:
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To many, violation of human rights is a serious issue. This shows that for every negative force, there is always someone who recognizes the wrong and seeks to correct
As we look throughout history, governments have implemented policies and are partially responsible for the denial of human rights to a certain group. These groups include Ukrainians and Rwandans. The denial of human rights in these regions not only affect those in the region but internationally. Both Ukrainians and Rwandans were denied their human rights. Ukraine’s hope and will was in the hands of the dictator Joseph Stalin.
Marx and Engels then follow with a series of rhetorical questions: “Where is the party in opposition that has not been decried as communistic by its opponents in power? Where is the opposition that has not been hurled back from the branding reproach of communism, against the more advanced opposition parties, as well as against its reactionary adversaries (1)?” Combined with the notion that holding power leads to corruption and immorality, the questions asked presents the reader with the impression that the communist party is being purposefully targeted by influential authorities. Marx and Engels further appeal to the emotions of their readers by adding that “The bourgeoisie, wherever it has got the upper hand, has put an end to all feudal, patriarchal, idyllic relations. It has… left remaining no other nexus between man and man than naked self-interest, than callous “cash payment”(4).”
In “The Dark Side of Human Rights,” Onora O'Neill holds that rights to goods and services require that the good or service is guaranteed, which entails that someone is responsible to supply them. For example, with rights to food and health care the accountable individuals are “the farmer and the physician” (O'Neill 427). These rights contrast liberty rights, which are negative and include rights preventing physical harm and interference. Liberty rights demand that first-order obligations (to respect them) be universal, and second-order obligations (to guarantee they are respected) be particular (428). Until the obligations associated with rights to goods and services are clarified, the question remains: “what is required of the farmer, the physician and others who actually have to provide food and health care?”
Karl Marx discusses in the first section of the The Communist Manifesto about how history mainly consists of class struggles. He explains how there will always be an oppressor and oppressed, where there is an ongoing battle that always ends in ruins or in revolt. He also claims that if there continues to be different classes, the wealthy and ones in poverty, there will never been an end to this conflict over power. Marx believes that if were no classes, there will no longer be strife and everyone would share equal power and wealth. In this prompt, Marx uses allusion, periodic sentences, and cause and effect to support his claim and to apply emphasis to the points he uses.
The picture described seems to be wonderful as it meets the communism society that Karl Marx wants: “No private property or inherited wealth. Steeply graduated income tax. Centralized control of the banking, communication and transport industries. Free public education.” (1) This is completely different from the world that Karl Marx is most familiar with—the 19th century Europe, which was fulfilled with huge increases in industrial production and profits, stagnation of wages for workers, formation of a vast impoverished working class.
Andre Abi Haidar PSPA 210 INTRODUCTION It is always difficult to write about and discuss Karl Marx, or more importantly the applications of Marx’s theories, due to the fact that he inspired and gave rise to many movements and revolutionaries, not all of which follow his theories to the point. Although Marx tends to be equated with Communism, it might not seem righteous to blame him for whatever shortcomings occurred when his theories were put to the test; Marx passed away well before the revolution in Russia, and he played no role in the emergence of the totalitarian regime at the time. When discussing Marx, however, Vladimir Lenin is one of the biggest highlights when it comes to studying the outcomes of Marx’s theories.
Human rights protection is alleged as an international affair and our rights values are euro-centrically influenced, according to the article. Jonathan Wolff’s article advocates for the need of balancing and protecting human rights, especially the second-generation rights as they are equally, if not the most essential to the first-generation
It is argued that social inequality occurs because of the conflict between the upper-class and the working-class, or as Marx defines it, the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat. Based on the Manifesto of the Communist Party (Marx and Engels, 1848), the divergence emerges because the aim of the Bourgeoisie is to obtain a surplus-value that is produced by the work of the Proletariat. On the other side, the Bourgeoisie provides the Proletariat with the minimum required, such as a place to live and a minimum wage, in order to keep the society under control and avoid a rebellion. However, Marx did predict a revolt of the working-class that would eventually lead to a communist regime. When it comes to applying this theoretical approach to reality, it is evident to notice that no global revolt in regards to capitalism has occurred.
Introduction Human rights are rights that are entitled to every individual regardless of nationality and citizenship as it is inherent, inalienable, and universal. The presence of basic human rights are vital in upholding a civilized society. The idea of having individual rights and freedom is not a new concept in Britain, in fact it has very deep roots. History shows landmark advancements such as Magna Carta 1215, Habeas Corpus Act 1679, and Bill of Rights and Claim of Rights 1689 all had important roles in protecting citizen’s rights.
The key concepts that I will discuss in this assignment are the theories and ideas of Karl Marx on Alienation, Exploitation, Materialism and Class struggle. The objective of this assignment is to examine the literature written about Karl Marx in order to clearly present his main ideas and theories in relation to work and capital. In the second part of my assignment I will discuss what relevance these theories and ideas have in today’s world. Karl Heinrich Marx the philosopher and revolutionary socialist was born on the 5th of May 1818 and died on the 14th of March 1883. He was born in the city of Trier in Germany and studied law in Bonn University.
Karl Marx (1818-1883) considered himself not to be a sociologist but a political activist. However, many would disagree and in the view of Hughes (1986), he was ‘both – and a philosopher, historian, economist, and a political scientist as well.’ Much of the work of Marx was political and economic but his main focus was on class conflict and how this led to the rise of capitalism. While nowadays, when people hear the word “communism”, they think of the dictatorial rule of Stalin and the horrific stories of life in a communist state such as the Soviet Union, it is important not to accuse Marx of the deeds carried out in his name.
His ambition for universal equality, collective justice, and classless society transfixed me. I never thought that a classless society could be possible; however, my understanding of his work leads me to envisage the possibilities of a classless society. Marx’ work demonstrates a man who genuinely wants societal change. “The goal of sociology would not simply be to scientifically analyze or objectively describe society, but to use a rigorous scientific analysis as a basis to change it” (Little & McGivern, 2013,
CHAPTER 3 CLASS STRUGGLE Generally class struggle means conflict between the upper class and lower class the idea of Class struggle is long-used mostly by socialists and communists, who define a class by its relationship to the means of production such as factories, land, and machinery. From this point of view, the social control of production and labour is a fight between classes, and the division of these resources basically involves conflict and causes damage. Societies are socially divided based on status, wealth, or control of social production and distribution, and in this division of class conflict arises. It is important to know Karl Marx theory on class struggle; he viewed the structure of society in relation to
In the Communist manifesto, a well known quote of Marx, “the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.” This is introductory to the first part of the pamphlet and a conclusion to Marx’s theory about class struggle. Marx’s highly structured on how the class struggle emerges and affects the development of a society. The development of a society from the old and from the new is the result of the conflict of classes in the society.