• 1.4: Civil and Political Rights vs. Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights

    Civil and political rights refer to issues of state sovereignty and individual and group rights of political participation. Economic, social, and cultural rights address the needs people must have fulfilled to live a free and dignified life. Civil and political rights are sometimes treated as more universal and integral to the fulfillment of human rights. At the same time, there is some debate over how governments must act to provide economic, social, and cultural rights. For example, one economic and social right is the right to an education.

    In many states, this right is fulfilled through the existence of public schools that residents may attend free of cost. However, schools increasingly rely on the internet to communicate with students and families, and assignments often depend upon internet access for research purposes or to return homework to the teacher. Crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 have increased this dependence on the internet for instruction. Does this mean people also have a right to internet access to enjoy their right to education meaningfully? Does that imply the government has a responsibility to provide the internet as a public utility to meet its citizens' right to education?

    As you continue through this unit, consider what responsibilities these rights confer upon states. How does your society meet and support these rights, or how does it fall short? How important do you think these rights are to protecting human rights in general?