The Idea of Human Rights

by Charles R. Beitz

The international doctrine of human rights is one of the most ambitious parts of the settlement of World War II. Since then, the language of human rights has become the common language of social criticism in global political life. This book is a theoretical examination of the central idea of
that language, the idea of a human right. In contrast to more conventional philosophical studies, Charles Beitz takes a practical approach, looking at the history and political practice of human rights for guidance in understanding the central idea. Betiz presents a model of human rights as matters
of international concern whose violation by governments can justify international protective and restorative action ranging from intervention to assistance. He proposes a schema for justifying human rights and applies it to several controversial cases--rights against poverty, rights to democracy,
and the human rights of women.

Throughout, The Idea of Human Rights attends to some main reasons why people are skeptical about human rights, including the fear that human rights will be used by strong powers to advance their national interests. The book concludes by observing that contemporary human rights practice is vulnerable
to several pathologies and argues the need for international collaboration to avoid them.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Political Science

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[ماكس الأيوبي · Rating 4 out of 5]

كتاب أخد مني جهدا لقرائته لكن يستحق ذالك ... استفدت كثيرا لكن خيبة أملي أنه لا يصلح للوطن العربي ، فجل حقوقنا هضمت و لم يبقى إلا اسمها ...

[Michal Ján Sallem · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book provides a comprehensive overview of the main conceptions of human rights in today's society in the first chapters. Afterwards, it focuses on a theory of perceiving human rights practically, in the context of political life. The author responsibly takes into account the different ideologies of the world and adapts the theory with the purpose of being neutral, or satisfactory, to all of them. The downside is the model proposed, that is over simplistic.
It is a rather difficult reading for those unaware of jurisprudential terminology, but nothing impossibly complicated.

[Bassem Tarek · Rating 1 out of 5]

بالكاد انتهيت من قراءة الفصول الخمسة الاولي من الكتاب
الترجمة سيئة

[Hamad T Alotaibi · Rating 2 out of 5]

الترجمة ضعيفه

[Ed Fernyhough · Rating 3 out of 5]

Criticism mostly around organisation and style rather than substance. Beitz covers a lot of issues superficially, which left me with an impression of a chaotic and disjointed overall argument. Nonetheless he draws some useful conclusions about the nature and function of human rights.

[Hafid Harrous · Rating 2 out of 5]

التقييم المتدني للكتاب لا تخص الأفكار الواردة فيه بل هي متعلقة بترجمته القلقة الضعيفة

[Eric Heinze · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the essential texts for contemporary international human rights law from a nuanced political-science perspective.

[Massimo Redaelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really my kind of language and perspective.
Anyway, the destructive part is useful, mostly in putting together orderly obvious objections and giving them "academic" dignity.
The constructive part... weak (although it might be that it can't be otherwise), not to mention boring :)