Broadening the British idealist approach to human rights: J. S. Mackenzie’s list of political, economic, and social rights

Abstract

Although an extensive literature on the British idealist theory of human rights exists, it is limited by its focus on prominent British idealist philosophers and its predominant interest in civic and political rights. This article broadens our understanding of the subject by examining the lesser-known British idealist John Stuart Mackenzie’s work on economic and social human rights. Mackenzie’s reflections on the matter appear to be significant as an early example of employing human rights language as a solution to widespread poverty and destitution in Britain. His use of a tripartite idealist perception of human nature allows Mackenzie to underline the complexity of human potential and human need that must be protected in all spheres of social interaction. In light of ongoing challenges to the legitimacy of economic and social rights as human rights, Mackenzie’s work constitutes a solid example of a maximalist approach to human rights that aims to not merely ensure survival but leads to the realization of a truly human life.

Acknowledgments

An earlier version of this article was presented at the 2019 Political Science Association Annual Conference, British Idealist Specialist Group Session. I would like to thank all the participants for their insightful questions and criticisms. I am indebted to Peter Nicholson for reading numerous versions of this article and offering his guidance for its improvement. I would also like to thank the referees for their meticulous reading of the article and for their invaluable suggestions.

Notes

1 For contemporary discussions on the British idealist theory of rights, see Dimova-Cookson (2001), Boucher (2001), Darby (2009), and Nesbitt 2001).

2 For alternative—and more positive—readings of Bosanquet’s position on poverty and state action, see Sweet (1999a, 1999b), Gaus (2001), and Den Otter (2007).

3 For a detailed account of his life and work, see Mackenzie (1936).

4 For a discussion of the shift in the human rights paradigm from the 1940s onward, see Meister (2011).

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Notes on contributors

Nazli Pinar Kaymaz

Nazli Pinar Kaymaz received her PhD in political science from Bilkent University in 2018. She worked as a visiting researcher at Cardiff University, Collingwood, and the British Idealism Center in 2016 and as an adjunct lecturer at Bilkent and TED Universities between 2018 and 2020.