Kinds of Rights

1. Natural Rights

Many academicians have strong beliefs in natural rights. They contend that nature bestows humans several rights. They used to live in a natural condition before moving into civilization and the state. They were able to exercise their inherent rights there, including the rights to life, liberty, and property. Human nature and reason are endowed with natural rights.

Some academics, on the other hand, believe that the idea of inherent rights is unreal. The results of social existence are rights. These are limited to usage within a community. The state defends rights because they are based on society’s acknowledgement of them as shared claims to progress.

2. Moral Rights

The rights that are grounded in human awareness are known as moral rights. The moral power of the human intellect supports them. These are grounded on the moral and fair principles held by people. The force of law does not support these. Moral rights are sanctioned by public opinion and a sense of goodness.

It is not possible to pursue legal action against someone for violating any moral rights. These rights are not upheld by the government. These rights are not recognised by its courts. Moral rights encompass standards of decency, civility, and moral behaviour. These uphold the legal rights of the people in their moral entirety.

3. Legal Rights

Legal rights are those that the government upholds and recognises. Laws penalise violations of any kind of legal rights. State law courts uphold people’s legal rights. These rights can be used both against the government and against private parties. Legal rights are distinct from moral rights in this sense. Every citizen has equal access to their legal rights. Legal rights are enjoyed by all citizens without exception. They have the option of going to court to have their legal rights upheld.

Legal Rights are of three types:

1. Civil Rights

Civil rights are those that allow everyone to live a socially responsible and civilised life. These meet the necessities of a person’s existence in society. Civil rights include the freedoms of life, liberty, and equality. The state preserves civil rights.

2. Political Rights

Citizens have the right to participate in politics through their political rights. They can participate actively in politics thanks to this. These rights encompass the ability to vote, the ability to run for office, the ability to occupy public office, and the ability to critique and disagree with the government. In a democracy, citizens have access to political rights.

• It grants the people’s rights to equality before the law and to take part in political life. These rights include the ability to cast a ballot, choose representatives, run for office, and more. In addition to these, civil liberties
• The terms “civil liberties” allude to the freedoms of speech, protest, and dissent as well as the right to a free and fair trial.
• Together, civil freedoms and political rights are the cornerstone of a democratic government.
• By holding the government responsible and elevating the interests of the people above those of the ruling class, they safeguard people’s well-being. Additionally, it guarantees everyone equal chances.

3. Economic Rights

The rights that give individuals economic security are known as economic rights. All citizens can utilise their civil and political rights properly thanks to this. Every human has fundamental requirements for food, clothes, housing, healthcare, etc. It is impossible for anybody to truly exercise their civic and political rights without these being met. Therefore, everyone must be granted the freedom to work, the right to a living income, the freedom to relax and play, and the right to social security in the event of illness, old age, or physical impairment.

• Need: Until our fundamental needs—such as clothing, food, housing, and health—are met, we cannot completely exercise our political rights.
• Status: Democracies are starting to acknowledge these responsibilities and grant economic rights.

Kinds of Rights Class 11 Polity Notes: The idea of rights is fundamental to understanding how societies operate. However, what are rights precisely, and how are they classified? Students are introduced to several forms of rights in this chapter, along with an explanation of their importance. Here, we emphasise the rights to politics, culture, and the economy. The fundamental nature of rights and the associated obligations are also explained in this chapter.