Theoretical Foundations of the Charter of Human Rights
Abstract
This research is an attempt to understand the intellectual and philosophical roots of the charter of human rights. In this pursuit, it addresses schools of thought and philosophies such as humanism and the principle of human agency, rationalism and reasoning, individualism and the role of individual will, natural law as inherent and inalienable rights, and also contractarianism as the basis of social order. Each of these currents in the history of thought has played a significant role in shaping the modern concept of human rights and has provided the groundwork for the drafting of documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and international covenants. The present examination shows that these foundations, despite their differences, emphasize common principles such as liberty, equality, human dignity, and the right to choose; principles that today form the basis of human rights thought. Consequently, understanding these theoretical underpinnings helps us to comprehend human rights not merely as a set of legal regulations, but as the embodiment of a humanistic and universal idea; an idea that constantly seeks to safeguard the status and dignity of all individuals, irrespective of their race, gender or beliefs.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18415/ijmmu.v12i11.7215
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