The African Context of Human Rights

Africa, Human Rights, Democracy, Liberal Capitalism
Collection: 
UKZN-IKS
Creator: 
Claude Ake
Date: 
1987
Language: 
English
Coverage: 
South Africa
Resource Identifier: 
URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4186405
Resource type: 
Journal article
File Type: 
Document
Extent: 
9
Publisher: 
Indiana University Press
Source: 
The African Context of Human Rights

 The African Context of Human Rights Claude Ake Nobody can accuse Africa of taking human rights seriously. In a world which sees concern for human rights as a mark of civilized sensitivity, this in- difference has given Africa a bad name. It is not unlikely that many consider it symptomatic of the rawness of life which has always been associated with Africa. I am in no position to say with any confidence why Africa has not taken much interest in human rights but I see good reasons why she should not have done so. Before going into these reasons let us be clear what we are talking about. The idea of human rights is quite simple. It is that human beings have certain rights simply by virtue of being human. These rights are a necessary condi- tion for the good life. Because of their singular importance, individuals are entitled to, indeed, required to claim them and society is enjoined to allow them. Otherwise, the quality of life is seriously compromised. The idea of human rights, or legal rights in general, presupposes a society which is atomized and individualistic, a society of endemic conflict. It presup- poses a society of people conscious of their separateness and their particular interests and anxious to realize them. The legal right is a claim which the in- dividual may make against other members of society, and simultaneously an obligation on the part of society to uphold this claim.

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