Democracy and human rights: interdependence and conflict

Democracy and Human Rights

The issue of human rights is relatively new in most parts of the world and a good argument can be made that the dramatic increase in the appreciation for human rights as a concept in the last few centuries is a function of democratic government. Prior to the French Revolution and the Enlightenment period, even the most so-called "civilized" governments in the world were largely unconcerned with the rights and welfare of the populous masses over whom they enjoyed complete control. Naturally, dictatorships (whether in the past or those in contemporary times) are fundamentally inconsistent with the notion of human rights. Finally, Communism has also been associated with widespread ignorance of human rights issues that have long been embraced and respected by most democratic societies.

The Historical Record of Human Rights in Relation to Nondemocratic Government

In Britain and in France, for two examples, monarchical governments were relatively insensitive to the needs of the ordinary person throughout the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periods. Monarchs maintained control over populations through the use of force, but more generally, through the constant implied threat of force in the event of any rebellion or challenge to the Royal Crown's authority and supremacy. In England, the Royal Crown dictated religious affiliation and severely punished those adjudicated as heretics even into the 19th century. Meanwhile, in France, the monarchy ignored the deplorable living conditions of the population and continued living in opulent luxury while the average person suffered in squalor and (often) under starvation conditions. Eventually, French citizens revolted and overthrew the monarchy after decades of trying to appeal to the authorities to recognize the rights of the people to live better lives.

Human Rights and the Growth of Worldwide Democracy in the Modern Era

After World War II, the two most dominant world powers established fundamentally different types of societies in the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. The Soviet Union established a Communist society throughout Russia and the former Eastern-Bloc nations while the United States expanded the concept of democratic government and respect for human rights in the U.S. And throughout Western Europe by promoting democratic ideals, largely, by linking the much needed financial assistance from the U.S. In the postwar period to a commitment to democratic governmental rule. For the rest of the 20th century, human rights and respect for the equality of all persons continued to grow in the Western Hemisphere. Meanwhile, Communist societies typically featured repressive regimes, harsh punishment for any political speech that contradicted the government line, and virtually no recognition of human rights from the perspective of race, gender, religion, or alternate lifestyle choice. Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union, repressive Communist regimes such as that evident in North Korea exemplify ignorance of human rights in the modern era.