This paper deals with the applicability of human rights in general and of third-generation human right in particular. It offers an explanation of the pathetic status of human rights and suggests an alternative approac...This paper deals with the applicability of human rights in general and of third-generation human right in particular. It offers an explanation of the pathetic status of human rights and suggests an alternative approach towards "third-generation" human rights, i.e., the rights of communities. It argues that since an immanent dichotomy exists between the political aspect of human rights--the fact that their addressee is the state government--and their universal aspect, i.e., the fact that they belong to everyone and their fulfillment is demanded by international bodies, very often their possessors cannot capitalize them. Third-generation human rights encounter additional problems. Very often their respondent--the state government----cannot comply with their demands, and according to the Kantian principle "Ought Implies Can," they should be addressed towards someone who can in fact fulfill them. This article thus suggests addressing third-generation human rights towards the international community. This may exclude them from the current category of human rights, and create the need to establish a new category such as Community Rights. Such classification may bear the advantage of making these rights more applicable and accessible than they are at present.展开更多
文摘This paper deals with the applicability of human rights in general and of third-generation human right in particular. It offers an explanation of the pathetic status of human rights and suggests an alternative approach towards "third-generation" human rights, i.e., the rights of communities. It argues that since an immanent dichotomy exists between the political aspect of human rights--the fact that their addressee is the state government--and their universal aspect, i.e., the fact that they belong to everyone and their fulfillment is demanded by international bodies, very often their possessors cannot capitalize them. Third-generation human rights encounter additional problems. Very often their respondent--the state government----cannot comply with their demands, and according to the Kantian principle "Ought Implies Can," they should be addressed towards someone who can in fact fulfill them. This article thus suggests addressing third-generation human rights towards the international community. This may exclude them from the current category of human rights, and create the need to establish a new category such as Community Rights. Such classification may bear the advantage of making these rights more applicable and accessible than they are at present.