Give Peace a Chance: Preventing Mass Violence by David A. Hamburg & Eric Hamburg

Author:David A. Hamburg & Eric Hamburg [Hamburg, David A. & Hamburg, Eric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science, General
ISBN: 9781317259145
Google: 6CbvCgAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 27891072
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2012-12-01T00:00:00+00:00

HUMAN RIGHTS: PATHWAY TO INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR PREVENTING MASS VIOLENCE

There is a strong link between virulent human rights abuses and the instigation of deadly conflict—war or genocide or both. Conversely, reliable safeguards for human rights go a long way to prevent mass violence.26 When, in the post–World War II period, Eleanor Roosevelt and her valiant international collaborators set in motion the human rights movement, very few “sophisticated” observers expected a pervasive worldwide movement for human rights to follow. Yet that is what happened, in response to a deeply felt human need for decency. Human rights have increasingly transcended the boundaries of individual countries and become a legitimate domain of politics and human relations, not only for nation-states, but also for international and regional organizations, both governmental and nongovernmental.

The growth and strength of human rights beliefs, norms, processes, and institutions have largely been a surprise throughout the world. One remarkable achievement of the human rights movement that occurred in a Cold War context has become known as the Helsinki Process. It began in 1973—at the instigation of the then Soviet Union—with the establishment of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). The Soviet leadership wanted to secure an agreement that would in essence legitimize its hegemony in Eastern Europe. To get this, they had to agree to human rights provisions that ultimately contributed to the dissolution of the Soviet empire, exposing its grand illusions of social justice that had earlier seemed so attractive in many countries.

The first major agreement was the Helsinki Final Act, signed by CSCE heads of state in 1975. In this document, for the first time, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms was recognized as a basic principle for regulating relations between states. As usual, there was much ambivalence about this step—on both sides of the Iron Curtain. But over time it had a contagious effect, especially as courageous dissidents fought for its implementation. Governmental leadership also became important, as exemplified most vividly by presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Gorbachev.

The Helsinki Process fulfilled its promise as it moved beyond anti-Soviet rhetoric to principles and practices for the protection of human rights throughout Europe, east and west. A variety of vigorous, democratic, converging nongovernmental organizations arose in the post-Helsinki context. This movement became a constructive part of the new European system for human rights and democracy. Thus, the Helsinki Process was a significant part of the worldwide movement toward an international regime for human rights and democracy.

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