Running head: DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Abstract
This paper will discuss the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the
practicality of expecting other countries to uphold and enforce these rights. Specific examples
will be used to address these fundamental rights and how they are and are not applied by other
countries. By looking at the history of a countries leadership and timeline of certain events we
can draw a conclusion as to why these rights are not always enforced by a government.

DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Declaration of Human Rights

The Declaration of Human Rights began after World War II when the United Nations set
out to draft a document that would be adopted by all States and which would set all individuals
above the State, free from want and oppression and the freedom to develop ones self in their
own choosing. At first the Allied nations had adopted President Franklin D Roosevelts 4
Freedoms Speech but soon found after the conclusion of the war that just those 4 basic rights
were not enough. The founding of this historic document has been said to be the foundation and
building block for international human rights law.
If we look back at the declarations adoption, we find that 48 States voted in favor but 8
States either were not present to vote or abstained. Of these 8 abstentions were the Soviet Union,
Ukrainian SSR, Peoples Republic of Poland, Union of South Africa, Czechoslovakia,
Byelorussian SSR and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At the time these were all countries that
practiced socialism, communism or a religious based government. These States would not and
could adopt these general human rights because it would go against the practice of the
government. I think this defines whether it is practical to expect all countries to enforce these
rights on behalf of their people. In order for these human rights to be upheld by these
governments it would require them to break its own laws.
The Union of South Africa is a great example of a country that could not and would not
adopt the Declaration of Human Rights because of the structure of government and general
racism and discrimination put out by those in charge. South Africa was ruled under a system of
Apartheid, which can be translated into the state of being apart and used the government to
further the racial segregation and overall white supremacy in the region. Article 1 states All
human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and

DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. (UDHR 2014) Right
at the start of the Declaration the Union of South Africa would be in non-compliance and their
government would be at stake. This was only furthered by the Declaration in Article 2 stating
that everyone is created equal without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language,
religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. The
Union of South Africa was attempting to protect its government built on Apartheid by not
allowing these human rights into their society.
Another prime example of a country that could not and would not implicate the
Declaration of Human Rights was the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was a collection of States
that were ruled by communism and a Marxist ideology. Basic human rights were viewed
differently because of this, the general rationalization in a communistic society is that society in
a whole is who deserves rights, not just rights on an individual basis. Such rights were access to
health care, adequate nutrition, guaranteed employment and education on all levels. These rights
seem well thought when put on paper, but in practice and implementation they proved to be folly.
One such difference between the Declaration of Human Rights and the Soviet Unions
basic human rights came from Article 17 which states Everyone has the right to own property
alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
(UDHR 2014) The Soviet Union controlled all property, private and commercial, for the
betterment of the State and to ease the implementation of its ideals of healthcare, housing,
nutrition and education. Unfortunately these guaranteed human rights were not always met in the
country with many homeless and starving to death because of the government squandering
supplies.

DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

We see further oppression in the form of freedom of speech and assembly, Article 19
states Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom
to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas
through any media and regardless of frontiers. Followed by Article 20 Everyone has the right
to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. No one may be compelled to belong to an
association. (UDHR 2014) This was strictly not allowed in the Soviet Union because it
appeared to be dissent towards the government and was punishable by 2-10 year prison
sentences.
In conclusion we can deduce that it is not practical for all countries to enforce these rights
on behalf of their people. In the end if a government wishes to maintain control of its people and
its resources these human rights cannot work alongside that. It will be up to the people to tell the
government what they want and demand the rights they are born with. Since its inception and
adoption the Declaration of Human Rights has opened the eyes of many citizens in numerous
countries and has started even more human rights movements. Hopefully one day in the future
we will see these human rights practiced around the world by all forms of government.

DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

5
References

Staff. (n.d.). Apartheid. History.com. Retrieved April 7, 2014, from

http://www.history.com/topics/apartheid
Patenaude, B. (n.d.). SPICE. Regional Perspectives on Human Rights: The USSR and Russia,
Part One -. Retrieved April 8, 2014, from
http://spice.stanford.edu/docs/regional_perspectives_on_human_rights_the_ussr_and_ru
ssia_part_one/
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UDHR, Declaration of Human Rights, Human
Rights Declaration, Human Rights Charter, The Un and Human Rights. (n.d.). UN News
Center. Retrieved April 5, 2014, from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml
UDHR History. (n.d.). UN News Center. Retrieved April 7, 2014, from
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/history.shtml