Lecture 06

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:19]Today we begin our discussion on the idea of human rights and the longstanding debate over whether they should be seen as western or non-western Often the western and the non-western countries are blaming each other rather non-western countries are blaming the western countries that human rights are largely western product. The treaties draft and conventions have a western orientation and they have been drafted keeping in mind the western needs western requirements and the western realities while non-western needs requirements and realities have been ignored.

[00:00:58]Some scholars argue that uh human rights grew mainly from western liberal traditions. While there are scholars who emphasize that human dignity and moral responsibility are values recognized across all cultures, religions and civilizations. If we view human rights as universal then they are not the monopoly of any single person or region or tradition or any uh single country. Instead they represent a common standard for all humankind. UDHR that is universal declaration of human rights adopted in 1948 reflects this universal vision drafted after the after the horrors of the second world war Nazi holocaust and atomic bomb. The UDHR highlighted the need for global peace, liberty, justice and protection of individuals from this courage of war.

[00:01:59]Yet the practical application of these rights has not been free from politics.

[00:02:06]This all began in the postcond world war era and the postcond world war era was characterized or co post second world war international politics was characterized by by cold war. Human rights were overshadowed by ideological struggles or ideological warfare going on between capitalism and communism.

[00:02:29]Western countries often highlighted civil and political rights while socialist states emphasize economic and social rights.

[00:02:39]As we know that capitalism follows the lock in tradition of individualism, individual liberty and communist ideology follows the Marxist notion of economic equality, economic and social equality and justice.

[00:02:59]Meanwhile, newly independent countries of Asia and Africa argued that development and self-determination were also fundamental rights. Many of them felt that western powers used human rights selectively sometimes as political tools. This raised doubts about whether universality was being respected or whether western culture value cultural values were being imposed. Therefore, to truly understand human rights, we must look beyond theory and examine the historical and political struggles that shape their global journey. Before we go further, let us look at today's agenda.

[00:03:42]The lecture is divided into clear sections to make our discussion organized and easy to follow. First, we'll discuss the universal idea of human rights. We'll see how the concept of rights existed in almost every civilization, religion and moral code even before modern western framework developed. This help us understand why rights should not be considered the monopoly of the west.

[00:04:10]Second, we will explore the closed link between democracy and human rights.

[00:04:15]Democracy is often seen as the political system that provides uh the best protection for rights. But we must also see how rights can exist beyond formal democracy. Third, we'll turn to the role of United Nations. We'll trace how the United Nations made human rights central to its goals after the Second World War starting with the charter and the UDHR in 1948. Fourth will reflect on the weakness weaknesses of enforcement in early years when cold war rivalry and decolonization overshadowed human rights issues. Finally, we'll examine how newly independent nations brought new dimensions to the human rights debate and how they made human rights politics an integral part of the then international political uh system or international politics or international relations. By the end of this lecture, students will be able to understand not only the universal principles of rights but also the tensions, politics and cultural realities that shape their practice. The foundation of human rights rest on the belief that every person is born with dignity, equality and value.

[00:05:33]Human rights are not privileges given by rulers or governments. Rather, they are inherent to human existence. This is why they are described as universal. The universality of rights means that they apply to all people everywhere without discrimination based on race, gender, culture, religion or nationality across civilizations. We find moral codes that reflects this principle. Sorry, that reflect this principle. In India, ancient texts spoke of dharma and justice. In Islam, the Quran emphasized the dignity of every human being.

[00:06:09]Christianity highlights the idea of compassion and love for one's neighbor, while Buddhism advocates nonviolence and the sanctity of life. Confucian traditions in China also spoke about harmony, duty, and respect. These examples suggest that the moral basis for human rights existed long before modern western legal frameworks.

[00:06:36]What the west contributed was the codification of rights into written laws and formal charters particularly during the enlightenment and the age of revolutions. Thinkers like John Lo and Russo shaped modern concepts of liberty and equality. However, calling human rights exclusively western overlooks the contribution of other traditions. At the same time, it is undeniable that the West played a dominant role in framing the post-war human rights discourse and also internationalizing the entire concept of human rights. Therefore, the challenge is to find a balance recognizing the universal spirit of rights while also respecting cultural diversity and the socioeconomic conditions of different societies.

[00:07:29]Democracy and human rights are often described as two sides of the same coin.

[00:07:35]Democracy is a system of governance where power ultimately rests with the people usually through free elections and accountable institutions and of course representative form of government. Human rights are the moral and legal claims that safeguard the dignity of individuals. Without human rights, democracy becomes um an empty shell. Without democracy, human rights lack protection and enforcement. Human rights cannot uh exist or survive in vacuum.

[00:08:05]We need a state, we need democracy etc. to to for the for the sustenance of you know and the existence of human rights. Western liberal thinkers such as lo Montescu and Russo contributed significantly to democratic ideals by emphasizing liberty, separation of power and social contracts. These ideas influenced the American and French Revolution both of which shaped modern democratic systems and human rights language. However, to say that democracy and human rights are solely western institution would be misleading. Many societies outside Europe practice forms of collective decision-making. In India, village panchiats served as local democratic institutions while tribal councils across Africa and Asia reflected participatory traditions. These ideas influenced the American and French revolutions, both of which shaped modern democratic systems and human rights language. However, to say that democracy and rights are solely western intentions, would be misleading. Many societies outside Europe practice forms of collective decision-making. In India, village panchiats served as local democratic institutions while tribal councils across Africa and Asia reflected participatory traditions.

[00:09:31]After World War II, democracy became closely linked with human rights in international discussions. However, cold war politics divided their meaning. The western block emphasized civil and political rights like freedoms of speech while the Soviet block emphasized economic and social rights such as employment, health care and education. This division weakened the universal approach by creating ideological camps. The truth is both sets of rights are interdependent and essential.

[00:10:04]Without economic justice, political freedom are fragile. Without free expression, development lacks accountability. Understanding democracy and rights together provides insights into the western and non-western debate.

[00:10:20]The United Nations established in 1945 placed human rights at the center of its mission. The horrors of World War II, genocide, mass killing, and the Holocaust highlighted the urgent need for global mechanisms to protect human dignity. The UN charter included commitments to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms. Soon after in 1948, the UDHR was adopted setting out 30 basic rights for all individuals. Uh, of course, there are two articles dealing with duties. UDHR included civil and political rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and fair trial along with economic and social rights such as education, healthcare, and work. It was groundbreaking because it applied directly to individuals, not just states. Yet, despite its ideals, implementation was weak in the United Nations early years. The world's attention quickly shifted to cold war rivalries where ideological competition took priority over human rights enforcement.

[00:11:24]By the 1960s, United Nations adopted two legally binding covenants. the international covenant on civil and political rights and international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights in Thran in 1966.

[00:11:38]These expanded the human rights framework but faced challenges in enforcement. Still the UDHR inspired new constitutions, liberation struggles and later human rights treaties. United Nations became a platform where western and non-western perspectives clashed but also collaborated. It represents both the promise of universality and the struggle to balance global principles with political interests. This dual role remains central in understanding the United Nations contribution to human rights.

[00:12:13]The adoption of UDHR in 1948 was a milestone in international history.

[00:12:19]Drafted under the leadership of Elellaner Roosevelt and other visionaries, it outlined 30 articles covering civil, political, economic, cultural and social rights. And for the first time, the world declared that all people, all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. UDHR was not legally binding but carried enormous moral authority. It became a foundation for later treaties, national constitutions and human rights laws.

[00:12:49]Countries emerging from colonialism drew inspiration from its principles.

[00:12:54]Movements against apartheid in South Africa and against dictatorship in Latin America invoked its language. Women's rights and children's rights campaigns also cited the UDHR to strengthen their demands. However, the UDHR also sparked debates. Some critics argued that it reflected western liberal values more than non-western traditions. For example, emphasis on individual freedom sometimes clashed with collective values found in Asian and African societies.

[00:13:26]Yet, defenders of the UDHR maintained that its principles such as the right to life, freedom, and dignity are universal even if their application varies. The UDHR's greatest achievement was providing a common language for human rights struggles worldwide. Whether in the east or west or south, activists and ordinary people could point to the UDHR as a benchmark. It remains a living document not not without limitation but with enduring influence.

[00:14:00]In the early years after the adoption of UDHR, the enforcement of human rights was weak. The declaration had symbolic value but lacked legal power. Many governments including those in the west treated it as um aspirational rather than binding. During the 1950s and early 1960s, global politics was dominated by cold war rivalry, nuclear and arms competition and ideological propaganda, leaving little space for serious human rights enforcements. At the same time, many countries in Asia and Africa were still colonies struggling for independence. Their leaders prioritized sovereignity and self-determination over human rights enforcement. Even within established democracies, racial segregation, gender inequality, and poverty persisted. The UDHR's noble ideals were often contradicted by ground realities. United Nations tried to promote rights by establishing commissions and committees but member states were cautious. They resisted outside interference arguing that human rights were an internal matter despite the fact that UDHR symbolized internationalization of human rights and acceptance a acceptance on the part of the countries that if there is a serious skill violation they would accept international monitoring. As a result, you know, violations often uh but despite this commitment uh towards internationalization of human rights, many states resisted any kind of outside interference that it is their internal matter and the result was that violations often went unchecked. It was only in the 60s that the human rights framework began to expand with the creation of binding covenants. In fact, the acceptance of the covenants was also delayed because of the ongoing cold war rivalry. The early weakness of enforcement illustrates the gap between principle and practice. It also shows why many non-western countries doubted western commitments to universality.

[00:16:18]While advocating rights abroad, Western states sometimes ignored injustice at home or in their foreign policies. This double standard became a recurring theme in the human rights debates. By the mid60s, United Nation realized that symbolic declarations like UDHR were not enough.

[00:16:39]There was a growing demand to transform these ideals into legally binding obligations. In 1966 at the Thran conference, two major international covenants were adopted. International Covenant on social, economic and cultural rights on the other hand highlighted rights to work, education, health care and an adequate standard of living. This division was deliberate reflecting both the western emphasis sorry the capitalist emphasis on political freedom and the socialist emphasis on economic and social rights.

[00:17:11]Although these covenants were binding in theory, enforcement was still weak.

[00:17:17]States could ratify them with reservations or ignore them in practice.

[00:17:22]Nevertheless, they marked a turning point by giving human rights a stronger legal basis. The adoption of these covenants also dependent also deepened the east versus west divide. The United States and Western allies promoted civil and political rights as essential for democracy. The Soviet block insisted that social and economic rights were equally important, rather more important.

[00:17:51]This split revealed how human rights became entangled in ideological competition even as they gained recognition in international law. The cold war had a profound effect on the development and perception of human rights. After World War II, instead of uniting around uh UDHR, the world quickly divided uh got divided into two opposing camps.

[00:18:17]Instead of working for world peace, uh preventing wars and protecting human rights, the world was entangled into another kind of war called war.

[00:18:30]Yes, the nations of Europe were economically and militarily broken and devastated due to two world wars and therefore they were not in a position to have a another traditional war. But the cold war was very much going on there which was not fought in the traditional manner.

[00:18:52]But the entire corpus of human rights or the movement of human rights failed to unite the world to work in the direction of world peace and uh human rights implementation of human rights or common good or human welfare.

[00:19:10]The west highlighted civil and political rights.

[00:19:14]The socialist block highlighted another set of rights economic and social. And this divide made global consensus on human rights difficult. Instead of focusing on universality, they states used rights to criticize each other.

[00:19:31]They attached a sense of superiority with their own sets of rights which a particular ideology was adhering to. So US pointed to Soviet suppression of descent while Soviet Russia highlighted poverty and lack of social welfareism in America. Each side accused the other of hypocrisy. For many developing countries, this east west conflict was definitely frustrating. They wanted to emphasize self-determination, development and freedom from colonial domination. Yet their voices were often um drawn out by superpower rivalry. As a result, the human rights movement lost momentum during much of the cold war. It was not until decolonization by the end of the decade of 60s and the rise of the global south in the decade of 1970s that new energy and perspectives were added to the human rights debate.

[00:20:34]You see that during the cold war years, United Nation itself struggled to play a strong role in human rights. Although organization had adopted the UDHR and later two covenants, its actions were often blocked by political divisions.

[00:20:47]The security council was dominated by the veto powers of the United States and Soviet Union or the P5 and America and its allies and Soviet Russia. uh China was China became the member of P5 later on otherwise Soviet Russia uh on one side were always at loggerheads with each other and both were avoiding scrutiny of their own action. Human rights violations around the world were frequent frequently ignored because raising them risk escalating cold war tensions. For example, United Nations was slow to act on aparthide in South Africa or on political repression in Eastern Europe.

[00:21:33]Many members states use the excuse of non-inference in domestic affairs to avoid criticism. At the same time, the general assembly became more active as newly independent states from Asia and Africa joined the joined in large numbers. These states wanted the United Nations to focus not only on political freedoms but also on economic justice and development. However, the lack of enforcement mechanism limited the United Nations effectiveness. Despite these limitations, the United Nations is still provided a global platform where debates on human rights could continue. It also established commissions such as human rights commission which drafted treaties and mentioned and and sort of uh monitored compliance.

[00:22:28]While its power was weak, its symbolic importance remained. The United Nations kept human rights alive as part of international agenda even if implementation was uneven. This silence mixed with symbolic action reflects the paradox of United Nations during the cold war period.

[00:22:52]By the late 1960s, the process of decolonization had transformed global politics. Dozens of countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East gained independence from colonial rule. These newly independent countries brought fresh perspectives into the human rights debates. For them, the most important right uh rights were not only political freedoms but also economic development, sovereignity and self-determination.

[00:23:23]In in the decade of 60s, United Nations adopted the declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples. This historic resolution affformed the rights of all people all peoples to self-determination.

[00:23:40]It declared colonialism incompatible with human rights. The independence movement uh movements across the globe drew legitimacy from this principle.

[00:23:52]Newly independent nations also demanded international support for their development. They argued that centuries of colonial exploitation had left them impoverished and that the development developed world bore responsibilities to help them catch up. This led to the creation of institutions such as ANTA United Nations conference on trade and development in 1964. These demands raised by the developing countries or newly independent Afroian countries were completely resisted by wealthy nations of the west, US and the allies. They feared economic redistribution and the rise of stronger voices from the global south. This clash marked the beginning of what later became known as north south divide. Decolonization thus broadened the human rights agenda. It showed that rights were not only about free speech and fair trials, but also about the ability of nations and peoples to control their destinies and achieve economic and political independence.

[00:25:09]In the context of decolonization and cold war rivalry, many new nations sought an alternative path.

[00:25:18]They did not want to c uh to to be caught in the east west divide. This led to the formation of the non-aligned movement in the early 60s. Leaders such as Javal Neu of India, uh Marshall Tito of Yugoslavia, uh Abdul Nasser of Egypt and Nikura of Ghana were key figures.

[00:25:42]NAM was based on the principles that newly independent states would should remain free to make their own choices without aligning fully or partially with either the United States or the Soviet Union or in other words any of the ideological camps capitalist or the communist. This position was not just about foreign policy neutrality but also about asserting their right to shape development and governance according to their own needs. For NAM countries, human rights means more than individual freedoms. They included collective rights such as the right to self-determination, freedom from imperialism, and the right to development. This broader view challenged the western liberal focus on civil and political rights alone.

[00:26:32]Through NAM, developing countries gained a stronger voice in the United Nations General Assembly. They pressed for economic justice, technological transfer, and fairer trade systems. This movement also highlighted cultural relativism. The idea that human rights must respect different cultures and social contexts. Although NAM did not eliminate power imbalances, it gave legitimacy to the concerns of the global south. It showed that human rights were not only about western priorities but also about addressing global inequalities and historical injustices.

[00:27:16]Thank you.