CLJ 110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Limited Government, Feudalism, Early Modern Europe
15 Dec 2017
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The history of human rights universal human rights a late 20 th century creation: an imperfect document. A long or short history: human rights: equal and inalienable rights that all human. Since first millenium bce: the emperor"s rule: mandate of heaven contigent on his fulfillment of duties to assure order, harmony, justice and prosperity. If the emperor failed in his obligations, confucian civil servants (authorized representatives of society) were obliged to remonstrate the ruler. If that failed, popular resistance was authorized, with wide support: ruler lost his mandate. Accountable autocrats, but this was not an exercise of political rights, as we understand them today. The confucian code of ethics recognized a right to personal dignity and worth, that was earned, and could be lost. Concept of rights based on age, sex, lineage, achievements, membership in a community. Limited government and idea of rights on the basis of status and social roles, not universal rights.
