Political Participation & Democracy - Human Rights

  • Rights you have simply because you are human
  • If we asked people you would get around 20 different responses
  • Based on the principle of respect for an individual
  • Each person should be treated with dignity no matter what
  • Before there were no human rights but after world war 2, the universal declaration came and 30 rules were announced which all countries have to follow
Magna Carta:
  • King John of England in 1215 had to sign it as King as the government were not above the law.
  • King John visited a number of rights and his subjects forced him to sign the Magna Carta which was later thought to be the first kind of human rights.
  • Among it was the right to be free from government influence and bribery and official misconduct.
Petition Of Right:
  • Produced in 1628 by Parliament and left to Charles I as a statement of civil liberties.
  • Refused by Parliament for the Kings Foreign Policy to exact forced loans
  • Parliament was hostile so Sir Edward Cole asserted four principles.
  • No taxes can be levied without the consent of Parliament, no subject may be imprisoned without care shown and the martial law may not be used in terms of peace.
  • A consitiution is designed to ensure everyone is following the laws including the government. To keep people in check including the government.
Legal High Case Study:
  • Before May 2016, drugs were illegal if they had been banned by UK legislation.
  • NPS are substances that contain various chemicals not all of which are illegal.
  • Have similar effects to illegal drugs such as cocaine and cannabis.
  • Authorities have legal power arrest anyone in possession or selling them.
  • In May 2016, the government a legislation was created, creating a blanket ban on the drugs in them that were now illegal. Thus, ending people using legal highs.
  • Does the government have a responsibility to protect those making a mistake?