All (70)
Civil Rights (19)
Human Rights (30)
Economic Rights (13)
Constitutional Rights (20)
Equality Before the Law | Freedom From Arbitrary Arrest |
Freedom From Bondage and Slavery | Freedom From Discrimination |
Freedom From Discrimination In Employment | Freedom From Retaliation |
Freedom From Torture and Inhumane Treatment | Freedom of Assembly |
Freedom of Association | Freedom of Choice In Employment |
Freedom of Expression | Freedom of Movement |
Freedom of Religion | Freedom of Speech |
Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion | Freedom of the Press |
Individual Sovereignty | Parental Rights |
Presumption of Innocence | Property Rights |
Protection Against Discrimination | Protections Against Cruel and Unusual Punishment |
Protections Against Excessive Bail or Fines | Protections Against Unreasonable Search and Seizure |
Protections Against the Seizure of Property | Restrictions on Housing Soldiers In Private Homes |
Right Not to Be Tried Twice For the Same Crime | Right of Self-defense |
Right to Access Information | Right to Access Public Services |
Right to Adequate Living Standards | Right to Challenge Witnesses |
Right to Consumer Protection | Right to Cultural Expression |
Right to Development | Right to Due Process |
Right to Economic Participation | Right to Education |
Right to Environmental Protection | Right to Equality |
Right to Fair Competition | Right to Health Care |
Right to Housing | Right to Human Dignity |
Right to Keep and Bear Arms | Right to Liberty |
Right to Life | Right to Marriage and Family |
Right to Obtain Witnesses | Right to Participate In Government |
Right to Peace | Right to Petition |
Right to Privacy | Right to Protection In Times of War |
Right to Refuse Self-testimony | Right to Representation |
Right to Security | Right to Social Security |
Right to Travel | Right to Vote |
Right to Work | Right to Workplace Health and Safety |
Right to a Fair Trial | Right to a Lawyer |
Right to a Speedy Trial | Right to a Trial By Jury |
Right to the Pursuit of Happiness | Rights of Children |
Rights of Persons With Disabilities | Rights of the Elderly |
Basis for Rights
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.Rights are viewed as self-evident moral principles that require no justification. This is captured well in the unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America quoted above.
~ Declaration of Independence, In Congress, July 4, 1776
Importance of Rights
Rights are a foundation of democracy and for the fair treatment of human beings on an international basis. The following are a few key points.- In a democracy, the majority rules and rights prevent this majority from oppressing minority groups.
- Defends basic human dignity and sets a standard for the values of humanity.
- Safeguards personal freedoms and allows people to live their life as they see fit without undue interference from the government or others.
- Promotes equality and provides protections against discrimination.
- Economic rights are the foundation for capitalism and the great wealth and standard of living this type of economic system can provide.
- Rights are a restriction on government power that help to prevent abuses whereby authorities cannot arbitrarily infringe upon individual freedoms.
- Promotes peaceful coexistence, social cohesion and a society that resolves disputes in a peaceful, fair and orderly way.
Individual vs Group Rights
Group rights, also known as collective rights, and individual rights are essentially incompatible. Either society recognizes individuals as free or as members of a group that makes decisions on their behalf. There is no way for these systems to coexist at a constitutional level. In other words, democracies are based on individual rights and individuals aren't treated as belonging to a collective except by individual choice.Summary
Individual rights are inherent moral principles that can be enshrined in the constitutions of nations or international declarations. They include both entitlements and freedoms.
