Answer to Question #206437 in Microeconomics for C. Jones

Question

1. Explain the difference between "civil rights" and human rights. 2, What effect do you believe the distinction makes with respect to policy decisions?

Answer 1

Solution:

Civil rights refer to those rights that one enjoys by virtue of citizenship in a specific nation or country. Civil rights protect citizens from being discriminated against and unjustifiable actions by others including the government. Civil rights include the right to vote, the right to use public facilities, the right to a fair trial, and the right to freedom of speech and religion. Civil rights differ from one country to another and depend on the laws of the country.

On the other hand, human rights are referred to those rights that one enjoys by virtue of being human. They are the basic fundamental rights that every human must have and they are universally accepted regardless of religion, nationality, and ethnicity. No institution, individual, or government can deprive human rights to any person. Human rights do not change from one country to another. Human rights include, right to life, right to education, right to liberty, and freedom.

 

The distinction between civil rights and human rights is critical in making proper and appropriate policy decisions when it comes to protecting the rights of all persons. For better policy decisions to be made regarding civil rights and human rights, the policymakers must critically analyze and differentiate each right as per their required category in order to ascertain their relevance when developing policies. Therefore, understanding different rights as per their category will help create better policies that will be beneficial to the whole society.