International Human Rights Regime

Growth of Human Rights

The development of human rights is closely associated with the growth of
democracy. It essentially involves the emphasis on and conceptualization of rig
hts of men against the rights of rulers. Initially the focus was on the politica
l and civil rights but gradually, in 20th century, the domain of human rights wa
s extended to include social and economic rights also. The Greek philosophers Pl
ato and Aristotle postulated an Idealistic Theory of state in which state was vi
ewed as a moral institution essential and natural for the moral development of t
he individual. The individual could achieve its fullest development only through
the participation in the civic life as provided and managed by the state.Since
the state was viewed as an end in itself, the right of individual to participate
in the affairs of state was converted into a duty for the sake of his own moral
development. During middle ages, the Church asserted its supremacy and politicd
al rights of individual were paid scant attention.
It was, in fact, only after the onslaught of Renaissance that the indivi
dual, as a human beings with distinct identity, became the focus of attention in
the intellectual thinking and activities of society. The Renaisance emphasized
on the dignity of man who was endowed with reason and was master of his destiny.
The divine right theory of state was replaced by the Social Contract theory, pr
opounded by Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau. The historical validity of this theory m
ay not be proved, but its philosophical significance for the rights of man is be
yond any doubt. This theory postulates that every man has certain inalienable ri
ghts by birth even before the origin of state and which cannot be abrogated by a
ny social and political institution. Locke stated that the state is created to p
rotect these rights and if the state fails to protect them, people have the righ
t to revolt against the state.
The Social Contract theory and the notion of natural rights had the prof
ound impact on the evolution of democracy and constitutional rights of citizens.
The Glorious Revolution of Britain in 1688 recognized the rights of people to e
lect their rulers.
Locke supported the ideals and achievements of Glorious Revolution. Thus, the di
gnity and worth of human beings enjoying certain basic rights became the foundat
ional principle of liberal democratic