Evolution and transformations of human rights

Abstract

Since their emergence in ancient times - although in rudimentary form - human rights have continually evolved and have undergone multiple transformations. The initial stage in the development of human rights is characterised by their extremely modest and restrictive practice, as well as by the emergence of the first ideas of natural law that did not tend to change the unjust social reality. The stage of institutionalisation, which began in the Middle Ages, is characterised by the struggle to reduce the monarch's absolute power. This process has enabled a gradual recognition of human rights, primarily the guarantees of personal liberty and security. The process of constitutionalization of human rights, which began with glorious revolutions in the USA and France, was inspired by medieval ideas of natural law. At the time, the natural law theories were actualised for the first time in their history. The next stage in the development of human rights occurred after World War II, with the beginning of the process of their internationalisation and the emergence of human rights protection mechanisms at the international level. Nevertheless, in the recent decades of their development, through conversion into an ideology, human rights have increasingly become a means for manipulation. With their relativization and the growing trend of removing the line between rights and morality, there appeared interpretations that could justify (or condemn) very different life situations and thus present the basis for the application of double standards. Accordingly, human rights must be redefined and freed from association with natural law features; otherwise, they will remain a means for manipulation and pursuit of ethically (non)controversial political goals.

Od njihove pojave, doduše u rudimentarnom obliku, u starom veku, ljudska prava su neprestano evoluirala i višestruko su transformisana. Početnu fazu u razvoju ljudskih prava odlikuje njihova izrazito skromna i restriktivna praksa, kao i nastanak prvih prirodnopravnih ideja koje nisu imale pretenziju da menjaju nepravednu društvenu stvarnost. Fazu institucionalizacije ljudskih prava, započetu u srednjem veku, odlikuje borba za sužavanje monarhove apsolutne vlasti. U tom procesu se postepeno zadobijaju ljudska prava, i to prevashodno garantije lične slobode i bezbednosti. Proces konstitucionalizacije ljudskih prava, započet slavnim revolucijama u SAD i Francuskoj, podstaknut je srednjovekovnim prirodnopravnim idejama. Tada, prvi put u svojoj istoriji, prirodnopravne teorije bivaju otelovljene u stvarnosti. Sledeća faza u njihovom razvoju nastupila je nakon Drugog svetskog rata, kada je došlo do procesa internacionalizacije ljudskih prava i nastanka mehanizama njihove zaštite na međunarodnoj ravni. Međutim, ljudska prava u poslednjim decenijama svog razvoja putem ideologizacije postaju sve više sredstvo manipulacije. Njihovim relativizovanjem, kao i sve prisutnijim trendom brisanja granica između prava i morala, javljaju se interpretacije koje mogu opravdati (ili osuditi) veoma različite životne situacije i tako predstavljati podlogu za primenu dvostrukih standarda. Upravo iz tog razloga, ljudska prava moraju biti redefinisana i oslobođena svih prirodnopravnih primesa, jer će, u suprotnom, ona i dalje ostati sredstvo za manipulisanje i ostvarivanje moralno (ne)spornih političkih ciljeva.