The Debasement of Human Rights: How Politics Sabotage the Ideal of Freedom

by Aaron Rhodes

The idea of human rights began as a call for individual freedom from tyranny, yet today it is exploited to rationalize oppression and promote collectivism. How did this happen? Aaron Rhodes, recognized as “one of the leading human rights activists in the world” by the University of Chicago, reveals how an emancipatory ideal became so debased. Rhodes identifies the fundamental flaw in the Universal Declaration of Human of Rights, the basis for many international treaties and institutions. It mixes freedom rights rooted in natural law—authentic human rights—with “economic and social rights,” or claims to material support from governments, which are intrinsically political. As a result, the idea of human rights has lost its essential meaning and moral power.The principles of natural rights, first articulated in antiquity, were compromised in a process of accommodation with the Soviet Union after World War II, and under the influence of progressivism in Western democracies. Geopolitical and ideological forces ripped the concept of human rights from its foundations, opening it up to abuse. Dissidents behind the Iron Curtain saw clearly the difference between freedom rights and state-granted entitlements, but the collapse of the USSR allowed demands for an expanding array of economic and social rights to gain legitimacy without the totalitarian stigma. The international community and civil society groups now see human rights as being defined by legislation, not by transcendent principles. Freedoms are traded off for the promise of economic benefits, and the notion of collective rights is used to justify restrictions on basic liberties. We all have a stake in human rights, and few serious observers would deny that the concept has lost clarity. But no one before has provided such a comprehensive analysis of the problem as Rhodes does here, joining philosophy and history with insights from his own extensive work in the field.

Genres: Law, Politics

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2018

Reviews

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this work Rhodes shows how natural rights (such as those delineated in the Bill of Rights) have been crowded out by social and economic "rights." Rhodes is a long-time player in the international human-rights scene, and it shows in this detailed but often repetitive and oddly organized volume. The first half looks at how international conventions and other gatherings have promulgated demands for such "rights" as clean water, health care, etc. etc. (even abortion). In pursuing these demands, governments trample the fundamental rights to life, religion, speech, property, etc. The individual rights get compromised in the drive toward collectivism.

Rhodes addresses the rationale for fundamental human rights from the basis of natural law, an argument nearly nonexistent in today's UN-phile scene. Time and time again the United States (the only country founded on the basis of human rights) and a few other Western democracies are like lonely voices crying out in the wind. But recently even the US has dropped the ball under Obama and Trump. Just look at how both men have courted despots and brigands, from Cuba to Korea.

Rhodes is mostly pessimistic; he spends little to no time discussing how to resurrect the absolute priority of human rights over other social and economic demands (which are usually leftist). The drumbeat of example after example from the international scene is wearying and depressing. I hope he writes a second work, attempting to show a positive way forward.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ayn Rand used to say that there was ever only one fight in the history of philosophy; and every new conflict is simply a re-enactment of this one original contest. Plato against Aristotle. Those who revere the collective and seek uniformity and conformity under an overpowering state; and those who believe life more abundant is best found through the empowerment of unique individuals protected by a government responding to the consent of those that she governs.

That is it; that is all.

Cue the post-WWII period; the advent of the United Nations Organization and the new battle that has been brewing, until it finally was lost – by we good guys – to the forces of collectivism. I’m speaking of the struggle to preserve our concept of human rights.

Human Rights; that term which was never used much by the founders (if at all), though they did talk about “laws of nature and of nature’s God” defended through a constitution. A document to serve the people not as a vehicle for utopian fantasy but instead a practical list of basic protections from a government which is always on the verge of becoming a state; as Lynn Hunt explains in “Inventing Human Rights”. A state – the very idea is utopian, and our old utopianisms do abide, don’t they.

Unfortunately “laws of nature’s God” – we call them natural rights – were too effective to survive. Effective, in that they serve as such an active containing wall against the dictators’ pretensions that they must be undermined. But how to do that? Those of us who studied theology know that the devil is in fact beautiful. What they needed was a bait and switch, something that would “look fairer and feel fouler” as J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote; to weaken the rights which are such an existential threat to them, they needed something lovely.

All this is what Aaron Rhodes’s new book “The Debasement of Human Rights: How Politics Sabotage the Ideal of Freedom” is about; and it is systematic and extraordinarily well researched. And it pulls no punches. Rhodes is a veteran human rights defender who for more than thirty years has stood against the world’s worst totalitarian regimes; varnished over and “looking fair” as were the communist states of eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. His important book outlines the process by which principles of positive law slowly replaced our understanding of fundamental human rights, like a steady salty tide eats out the limestone base under a mighty castle. While we all thought we stood strong, that we had won, that the “end of history” was upon us, slowly fundamental rights of humanity were replaced in favor of positive law bestowed upon partisan politicized states. “Rights” which are not rights at all but entitlements, services provided with varying degrees of success by bloated and often brutal regimes began to overtake basic freedoms by which we protect ourselves from those states and hold them accountable to our consent. Economic, Social and Cultural rights they are called – because who would disagree with that?? – and their very existence demanded a curbing of natural law, starting with our sacrosanct right to property. Because once property is usurped, everything else is easy.

Freedom House has categorized our times as in a “democratic recession” – and this is not a coincidence. As the rights with which we protected our freedoms were eroded from within by the very organizations tasked with protecting those rights, little by little we have lost our liberty until again half of the world is unfree.

So, what to do? Read Aaron Rhodes’s important book. Familiarize yourself with the jargon that is so oft-repeated that it has become second nature to even good people who have not ever had the need to challenge what they are saying. And then, armed with knowledge, make a stand. Because it is now clear who we are standing against – just as it is now clear what the new human rights demand, represented as they are in their highest council by Venezuela, Cuba, Syria and other despot regimes eager to talk about universal healthcare or primary education over the rights to speak and to retain our property. Until, finally, at the end, le deluge. And what good is speaking then?

[Eileen Linchangco · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well written, but could not agree less with the centrist / conservative neoliberal views on human rights issues. A good book to exercise my critical thinking skills.

[Dru Draper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful work of history, political theory, and social criticism. Rhodes navigates the now sensitive topic of human rights and social justice with scathing clarity. By using historical contexts, he clearly lays out an argument how human rights evolved into a dangerous conception that can be wielded with no limitations for an ever expanding list of social greviences to whatever group can claim to be most victimized. These new conception of human rights have not stayed in the realm in international law and politics. Instead they have permiated into almost every aspect of domestic politics and social life that are reflected in everything from political correctness to open borders. In his discussion of 1992 Vienna World Conference he states that, " Human rights had become an elastic concept that could mold itself around all of humanity's problems and demands..." This being the resoning for the moral paralysis of the international community to intervene in the Bosnian Genocide. By growing the meaning to human rights to mean almost any political policy preference of a disadvantaged group, not only has the international community begun to discredit themselves, they have permitted countries like China and Venuzuela in the UN Human Rights Council.

The implication of Rhode's argument that this blanket use of Human Right's have devolved us into any policy preferred the left wants. Leading to an unfortunate state of identity politics. Compelling in it's own right, he lays out the dangerous proceedings of operating in this sphere of political dialogue.

This book is for anyone who has taken an international relations college course and been left with little substance and want answers.