The discussion about the foundation of socio-economic rights have been ignored as more attention and emphasis has been placed on issues concerning the litigation and justiciability of socio-economic rights. While it appears that many have assumed that this matter is settled, reading through the work of Joseph Raz on Human and socio-economic rights one finds that he repudiates the traditional notion of the foundation of human rights. Despite the systematic and logical precision in the presentation of his argument, there are areas of lapses in his work which create room for a philosophical discussion. This work aimed at analyzing critically Raz’s argument on human and socio-economic rights, stating the inherent loopholes and strength of his argument. The study adopted the analytic and evaluative methods in its investigation of the subject under consideration. It submits that though Raz’s argument is logically sound holding that socio-economic rights are human rights, and that the aim of socio-economic rights is to protect the wellbeing of humans, it falls short in its argument that human nature is not the foundation for human rights.
Written by:
Professor Idorenyin F. Esikot, Ph.D
Email: idorenyinesikot@unuyo.edu.ng.
Department of Philosophy
Faculty of Arts
University of Uyo.
Ruth A. Obot (M.A)
Department of Philosophy
Faculty of Arts
University of Uyo.
rutudoh@gmail.com
