2338: Natural Rights vs. Human Rights May 13, 2021

There has been a decline in the use of the phrase 'natural rights' in favor of the phrase 'human rights'. This switch in preference really only occured around the year 2000 in literature though in common parlance may have been earlier. 'Natural rights' as a concept with slight variance in language occured in Greek and Roman philosophy as something innate and inalienable which all humanity have. This phrasing however has long had a theological understanding with the idea of people having been "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights" (US Declaration of Independence). This constitutes one way in which the notion of natural- and human rights differ, though some state the difference with natural rights being negatively defined (things not to be infringed upon) and human rights positively (things requisite to be given freely). In common use this positive-negative distinction is not always made however.