Contrary to Locke, the traditional concept of a right to life, liberty, and property was based on social convention, but this doesnt mean that popularity in itself could justify a rights-claim to goods and services. Talk of rights has gotten out of hand because people have forgotten that rights are negative and that protecting one persons right means enforcing anothers duty to respect it.
Rights
Rhetoric versus Reality
By Max Hocutt
This
article
appeared in
the Summer 2012 issue of The Independent Review.
Civil Liberties and Human RightsCivil RightsFreedomLaw and LibertyPhilosophy and ReligionSocialism, Communism, and Collectivism
Other Independent Review articles by Max Hocutt | ||
Fall 2013 | The Fruits and Fallacies of Fred Skinner on Freedom | |
Winter 2007/08 | In Defense of Herbert Spencer | |
Summer 2005 | Sunstein on Rights | |
[View All (7)] |