Comparison of Soviet and Western Democratic Principles, with special reference to Human Rights
Comparison of Soviet and Western Democratic Principles, with special reference to Human Rights

Author(s): John Somerville
Subject(s): International Law, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
Published by: CEEOL Digital Reproductions / Collections
Summary/Abstract: The differences between the Soviet and western democratic conceptions are not of principle, but rather of problem-area and method of implementation. On both sides the basic philosophic writings and constitutional documents stress the principle of human rights; that is, that people have inalienable rights in virtue of the fact that they are human beings, irrespective of differences of race, colour, sex or social background. On both sides this stress derives in large part from a common historical source; the general idea of the brotherhood of man, which is, of course, quite old, and the special philosophic and political developments in seventeenth century British and eighteenth century American and French society which produced concrete manifestations of such great historical importance in the area of human rights.

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