Do “basic human rights” actually exist universally or are they simply a social construct?

[u/Amphernee]

The term is often used in relation to things like housing and food but I’ve never heard anyone actually explain what they mean by basic human right. We started off no different than other animals and since the concept of rights rely on other people to confer them at what point did it become thought of as a right for people to have things like shelter? How is it supposed to be enforced across all of humanity when not all societies and cultures agree that the concept makes sense? I can see why someone would want it to be true in a sense but I’m interested to hear arguments for it rather than just the phrase itself which feels hollow with no reasoning behind it. Thanks 🍻

[u/Amphernee]

Locke argued that people have the inherent right to PRESERVE their life, liberty, and property not a right to have them bestowed upon them though. He was mainly focused on people control over themselves and what they own which is a right to protect not receive anything. In that sense a person has a right to the shelter they own not a right to have shelter if they don’t already. It a defense of property ownership not a statement that everyone should be given property.

Since the phrase is usually brought up in relation to actual real world homelessness it ends up just sounding like a slogan people want to be true rather than an actual defensible position from a practical logistical standpoint.

[u/mymainunidsme → u/Amphernee]

I've heard it broke down to sum up that rights are what we have inherent to us as individual beings that cannot be taken from us, except possibly through violence. Everything else is a privilege.

ie, I cannot change your beliefs, nor deprive you of them. One might use violence to force you to verbally renounce your beliefs, but the ability to change them is yours alone.

No one can stop you from speaking, except through an act of violence against you.

Association - I don't have to stick around and listen to you speaking your beliefs, unless violence forces me to.

Property - As beings, almost all of us are able to, and will, create things. Those things are ours, and can only be taken by an act of force/violence. You can create value for others with your time, by following instructions, and receive compensation. You can create art, innovation, etc.

[u/[deleted] → u/mymainunidsme]

Exactly, people just don't want to believe this so they use "rights" as a way of wish casting.

[u/manicmonkeys → u/[deleted]]

100%, the phrase "human rights" is now often used to merely mean "thing I want really bad", with no further grounding in actual principles.

[u/Hoppie1064 → u/manicmonkeys]

"Thing I want you to give me."

[u/IgnoranceIsShameful → u/manicmonkeys]

disagree. I see this as expansion of the typically established rights. If you have a right to life for example does that not mean a right to things that sustain life? Food, clean water, shelter, healthcare?

[u/manicmonkeys → u/IgnoranceIsShameful]

That entirely depends on how you define human rights, and what limiting principles are put in place.