The UDHR is all about how people should be treated. The operative word there is "should." Morals and ethics tell us how we ought to behave, setting a standard for us to aspire to.
The declaration has more force as a moral text than as a legal document. The document is pretty much a how-to guide aimed at nations, saying, "This is the right way to treat your people." The U.N. has various arms dedicated to meeting human rights goals, but the responsibility ultimately falls back on member nations.
At the time it was written, in 1948, the declaration was an explicit contrast to the principles of fascism and dictatorships. The Nazi regime was exhibit A in how a nation should not behave. Under systems like Hitler's, might was right, and governments treated people however they wanted using force. Who wants to live in that world? You know, other than people like this guy?
Questions About Morality and Ethics
- Why, in the context of the late 1940s, was it important for the United Nations to take a moral stand on human rights?
- The UDHR sets standards for moral behavior. Who are they aimed at? Do they leave anybody out?
- Why do you think a moral education is included in the declaration as a human right?
- Are there any articles in the declaration that could conflict with cultural morals?
Chew on This
The UDHR is like a moral guidebook for the member states of the United Nations.
Germany, the biggest violator of human rights in World War II, wasn't in the U.N. and couldn't even sign the declaration.