Rights

Harold Laski defines rights as ‘those conditions of social life without which no man can seek, in general, to be himself at his best’.

Rights:

In order to live, a person must have some rights. Similarly, in order to develop his personality to the best possible extent, he must have some particular rights.

Rights can be classified as follows:

• Natural rights:

Natural rights are parts of human nature and reason. These are universal in character. The right to life and liberty are some examples of natural rights.

• Moral rights:

These rights are based on the conscience of the individual and the community. For example, respect for a teacher or an elderly person is a moral right of that person.

• Legal rights:

These are granted by the State to the people. They are usually enumerated or codified in law. These rights are not universal, different countries with different governments would specify what rights the people of that country have been granted. Legal rights are enforced by law. Legal rights are of two types:

• Civil Rights:

These rights relate to the person and property of the individuals. Right to life, liberty, equality and property are civil rights. Civil rights are protected by the state.

• Political Rights:

These allow people to take an active part in the political process. These rights include right to vote, right to contest elections, right to hold public office and right to criticise and oppose the government. Political rights are normally available to citizens in a democratic state.