Fascism Human Rights

The creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Research question: To what extent did fascism cause the creation of the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights in 1948?

Tea Tonejec

Candidate number: 000562-0028

Gimnazija Bežigrad

Word count: 3019 Abstract:

This extended essay analyzes the creation of the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights in 1948. It is a research of which and to what extent countries, people and events had a role in the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, furthermore explaining how it was in such a fast pace completed in a such well manner. In fact the extended essay deals with the relationship of fascism contributing to the creation of Human rights, therefore the question examined

With a vote of 48 in favor, eight abstentions and no votes against this declaration clearly passed. This is when the speculations of what was the cause for the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human rights started. As historians Roger Normand and Sarah Zaidi stated »Human rights grew out of a triumph of liberalism over its two main rivals –communism and fascism« However as Professor Huang Nansen of the philosophy department of the Beijing University states »…the lesson they [people witnessing World War II] paid for with their blood was a grave one, and made them and their governments realize the importance of safeguarding fundamental human rights«. Nevertheless the different views of the historians, both of the two sources are reliable and relevant since their justification points as well as their scope of research are fully developed and both Normand and Zaidi are long-time lectures on human rights as well as participating in many groups promoting human rights

Meaning, avoiding any World Wars and providing people with satisfaction of some common ground. As said by Sarah Zaidi » Due to the unimaginable world catastrophe due to World War II people all over the world wanted to stop wars, massacres and oppressions«. And future massacres could be possibly prevented by defining on common ground what was common to all people in the sense of their rights. People were fed up of the disastrous World and the atmosphere they lived in, which has caused two World Wars in less than 50 years apart, not only were they both disastrous in the sense of economy but even more in the degrading of humanity due to enormous numbers of deaths. As Zaidi mentions » The huge and understandable yearning for a much better world was expressed throughout through public support that an universal system of justice at a domestic as well as global level would be formed. Citizens pushed their governments to develop such a system «. However it can be said that the result of the wish of preventing further wars was due to what they have witnessed in World War II, especially the uncivilized way people were treated under fascistic leaders, meaning that the wish for generally