Editorial Natural Law And The Modern World

Andrew Updegrove, Partner, Gesmer Updegrove LLP

2/18/2008
(Original Publish Date: 9/1/2006)

In contrast to 1776, the concept of human rights is today often addressed as a relative rather than an absolute concept. Despite the fact that the modern concept of democracy was in part based upon a belief that human beings possess \"unalienable rights,\" even democratic governments today disagree on how such rights must be honored in the breach. As a result, only scattered, selective, and in some cases haphazard mechanisms exist to permit the global community to intervene (if so inclined) to protect the rights of the individual against the powers of the state.