Kinds of Rights Class 11 Polity Notes: The idea of rights is fundamental to understanding how societies operate. However, what are rights precisely, and how are they classified? Students are introduced to several forms of rights in this chapter, along with an explanation of their importance. Here, we emphasise the rights to politics, culture, and the economy. The fundamental nature of rights and the associated obligations are also explained in this chapter.
Kinds of Rights| Class 11 Polity Notes
What are Rights?
Rights are basic normative norms concerning what is permitted or due to people by a legal system, social convention, or ethical theory. In other words, rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement.
Primarily, rights are those assertions that are required to live a life of honour and dignity. It is something that is seen as belonging to an individual; the rest of society needs to acknowledge it as a rightful claim that needs to be supported.
Kinds of Rights
1. Natural Rights
Many academicians have strong beliefs in natural rights. They contend that nature bestows humans several rights. They used to live in a natural condition before moving into civilization and the state. They were able to exercise their inherent rights there, including the rights to life, liberty, and property. Human nature and reason are endowed with natural rights.
Some academics, on the other hand, believe that the idea of inherent rights is unreal. The results of social existence are rights. These are limited to usage within a community. The state defends rights because they are based on society’s acknowledgement of them as shared claims to progress.
2. Moral Rights
The rights that are grounded in human awareness are known as moral rights. The moral power of the human intellect supports them. These are grounded on the moral and fair principles held by people. The force of law does not support these. Moral rights are sanctioned by public opinion and a sense of goodness.
It is not possible to pursue legal action against someone for violating any moral rights. These rights are not upheld by the government. These rights are not recognised by its courts. Moral rights encompass standards of decency, civility, and moral behaviour. These uphold the legal rights of the people in their moral entirety.
3. Legal Rights
Legal rights are those that the government upholds and recognises. Laws penalise violations of any kind of legal rights. State law courts uphold people’s legal rights. These rights can be used both against the government and against private parties. Legal rights are distinct from moral rights in this sense. Every citizen has equal access to their legal rights. Legal rights are enjoyed by all citizens without exception. They have the option of going to court to have their legal rights upheld.
Legal Rights are of three types:
1. Civil Rights
Civil rights are those that allow everyone to live a socially responsible and civilised life. These meet the necessities of a person’s existence in society. Civil rights include the freedoms of life, liberty, and equality. The state preserves civil rights.
2. Political Rights
Citizens have the right to participate in politics through their political rights. They can participate actively in politics thanks to this. These rights encompass the ability to vote, the ability to run for office, the ability to occupy public office, and the ability to critique and disagree with the government. In a democracy, citizens have access to political rights.
- It grants the people’s rights to equality before the law and to take part in political life. These rights include the ability to cast a ballot, choose representatives, run for office, and more. In addition to these, civil liberties
- The terms “civil liberties” allude to the freedoms of speech, protest, and dissent as well as the right to a free and fair trial.
- Together, civil freedoms and political rights are the cornerstone of a democratic government.
- By holding the government responsible and elevating the interests of the people above those of the ruling class, they safeguard people’s well-being. Additionally, it guarantees everyone equal chances.
3. Economic Rights
The rights that give individuals economic security are known as economic rights. All citizens can utilise their civil and political rights properly thanks to this. Every human has fundamental requirements for food, clothes, housing, healthcare, etc. It is impossible for anybody to truly exercise their civic and political rights without these being met. Therefore, everyone must be granted the freedom to work, the right to a living income, the freedom to relax and play, and the right to social security in the event of illness, old age, or physical impairment.
- Need: Until our fundamental needs—such as clothing, food, housing, and health—are met, we cannot completely exercise our political rights.
- Status: Democracies are starting to acknowledge these responsibilities and grant economic rights.
Cultural Claims of Rights
The rights to basic education in one’s native tongue and the establishment of educational institutions to impart one’s language and culture are now commonly acknowledged as necessary for a happy existence.
Kant on Human Dignity
- Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher from the 18th century, believed that all people had dignity and ought to be treated fairly just for being human.
- Kant believed that treating people morally was equivalent to treating them with dignity.
- Kant’s theories are in line with the “moral conception of rights.” Two arguments lend support to this opinion.
- Considering people how we would like to be treated
- Ensure that we view the other person as a tool to achieve our goals.
- Certain rights, however, such as the right to equality of treatment, life, liberty, and political participation, are considered basic rights and need to come first. These rights are acknowledged as legitimate claims or rights and are necessary to have a respectable life.
Rights and Responsibilities
In addition to imposing duties on the state to guarantee, say, sustainable development, rights also impose duties on every one of us.
● First of all, they force us to consider issues that are beneficial to all of us as a group as well as our individual wants and interests.
● Second, they demand that I honour other people’s rights. If I demand the freedom to voice my opinions, then I must extend the same freedom to others.
● Thirdly, when our rights clash, we have to weigh them equally. I can take photographs because I have the right to freedom of expression, but it would be against someone’s right to privacy if I took images of them taking a bath in their house without getting permission and uploaded them online.
● Fourth, people need to be aware of any potential restrictions on their rights. The growing limitations that many governments are placing on individuals’ civil freedoms in the name of national security is a topic of discussion right now.
Since rights are the cornerstone of a democratic society, we must always be alert in defending both our own and others’ rights, even if they can never be absolute.
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FAQs on Kinds of Rights Class 11 Polity Notes
What are the different types of rights that explain Class 11?
These consist of civic or social rights, political rights, and fundamental rights. Rights are those aspects of social life that are necessary for an individual to function successfully. We may sum up by saying that all true rights are prerequisites for social well-being.
What are the rights of the Constitution Class 11 notes?
Three rights are guaranteed by the Constitution to ensure a fair trial in court: No one would get several punishments for the same offence. Nothing in the law can make an activity criminal retroactively. Nobody will ever be required to provide evidence against themselves. Freedom of religion and practice
How many kinds of rights are there?
Five categories of human rights are outlined in the UDHR and other documents: economic, social, cultural, civic, and political. In terms of economic, social, and cultural rights, these include the freedoms of employment, housing, food and water, and education.
What are the types of political rights explained?
Citizens have the right to equality before the law and the ability to take part in political processes thanks to political rights. These include the freedom to run for office, organise political parties or join existing ones, and vote and choose representatives.
What are the different types of rights in the Indian Constitution?
- Fundamental Rights of India
- Right to Equality.
- Right to Freedom.
- Right against Exploitation.
- Right to Freedom of Religion.
- Right to Constitutional Remedies.
- Cultural and Educational Rights.
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