Rights and Duties Definition: Right is a justifiable claim on legal or moral basis.

3 basic rights are observed as natural: the right to be, the right to do and the right to have. Duties consist of values that one is compelled to respect. Subjective duties consist of moral obligations that are experienced towards an internal authority, i.e. conscience. Objective duties are experienced towards an external authority.

1. The essence of right maintains peace; it initiates bonds among people. One is not only connected with the other by means of friendship or kinship, he/she is also connected by laws that make coexistence possible. Right imposes many duties and obligations for peaceful social relations. 2. The three principles of the French Revolution: equity, brotherhood, freedom. All must be free from despotism; they are equal and brothers in humanity. Locke says, all men by nature are free, equal and independent. Every individual has the right to initiate his own actions freely. Kant affirms that a constitution allowing the greatest possible human freedom in accordance with laws is a necessary idea. 3. Hobbes and Spinoza claim that human innate nature is primitive and selfish. Humans are motivated to possess all material goods and conquer authority in a never endless war. Hobbes says, man is a wolf to man. In this primitive state, there is no justice or peace. 4. Hobbes claims that humans fear of death and out of their survival instinct abdicate all their rights to one of them so that they can have order in return. Hence, the legitimacy of the ruler is based on his ability to stay in power; this tyrant initiates a government that monopolizes power for the purpose of keeping security and order. In this state, the ruler stays in authority until another person overthrows him by force, stays in authority by force and becomes the absolute ruler. 5. However, Spinoza claims that despite all the innate human inclinations, there is reason. People decide to give priority to mental judgment in managing their affairs,

restraining their lust and protecting others rights. Spinoza states that one cannot rid of his innate aggressive disposition except through reason that can put in place a democratic constitution; whereas Hobbes sees the outlet of human nature as complete submission to power. 6. Rousseau rejects the idea of the right of the strongest in The Social Contract. Authority which is built on violence and power has no legitimacy; it will always be based on tyranny. Rousseau states that we are in need of a consensus of wills, a general will that fuses all individual will together through a social contract. It organizes the proper experience of right. Duty, in the form of moral obligation, emerges when each individual recognizes that the others have equal rights. 7. Justice is an evaluating principle basic to right; justice directs relationships on the basis of value and dignity. Justice creates a free space; it necessitates equality among all people. Justice is subordinated to right; individuals are equally treated, laws are implemented without bias. Justice leads to assume a legal reality; this feeling is at the basis of a need to improve the situation. 8. Rights and duties are connected; every right is encountered by an obligation on the part of others to respect this right. Comte claims that the society is maintained through obligations and not rights. All members are bound to strict obligations. When one assumes his/her duties, rights become unnecessary; every individual attains his right automatically without asking for it.