Human Rights, Democracy and Globalization

1
Human Rights, Democracy and Globalization

• Chapter 13, Part I
• Exploring Globalization
• Colin Hackett Ross Sheppard High School

2
What are Human Rights?

• Discus as a class
• What are peoples basic human needs?
• Is having ones basic human needs met a
  fundamental human right?
• Who should be responsible for meeting these needs?

3
Views on Human Rights

• In 1948 the UN passed the Universal Declaration
  of Human Rights.
• The title alone tells us they feel that all
  humans have some basic rights.
• The rights outlined include
• Freedom of speech, religion, and right to an
  education.

4
Views on Human Rights

• Some people do not feel that everyone has equal
  rights.
• These people often argue that different cultures
  have different values and traditions.
• One example that these people cite is that
  western values do not consider the conditions of
  developing countries.
• For example, they say that is it true that both
  rich and poor have the right to fly first class
  or sleep under a bridge?

5
The Evolution of Ideas About Human Rights

• Societies have passed laws and policies about
  human rights throughout history.
• However, the rights that these societies consider
  inalienable (cannot be taken away) have differed.
• Some philosophers like Adam Smith and John Locke
  argued that people were fundamentally free and
  their leaders have a responsibility to protect
  this freedom.

6
The Evolution of Ideas About Human Rights

• The ideas of Smith and Locke began to spread to
  Europe and the Americas and contributed partially
  to the American Revolution.
• The British controlled their colonies economies
  very tightly and the American fought against this.

7
The Evolution of Ideas About Human Rights

• Technology helped to spread the ideas of
  philosophers like Smith and Locke.
• As weve discussed before, the printing press
  made information available to more people than
  ever before in history.
• Also, travel allowed people to travel further and
  faster.
• Interestingly, the same phenomenon that lead to
  the slave trade also helped spread ideas that
  would lead to its abolition.

8
How are Ideas About Human Rights and Democracy
Related?

• It is generally assumed that if people live in a
  democracy their human rights are protected.
• Some feel that we cannot assume that just because
  a country is democratic that they automatically
  protect human rights.

9
Milestones in the Evolution of Democracy and
Human Rights

• Before Europeans ever came to North America the
  Haudenosaunee, who lived near the lower Great
  Lakes created the Great Law of Peace.
• The five Haudenosaunee nations formed the
  Iroquois Confederacy.
• The chiefs would gather and discuss issues
  affecting the confederacy. The chiefs would then
  take proposals back to their nations for approval
  and then reconvene to finalize their decisions.

10
Milestones in the Evolution of Democracy and
Human Rights

• The American Constitution was created in 1787 by
  representatives of the 13 colonies that formed
  the US.
• This document set out their form of government
  and the decision-making process that is still in
  use today.
• The ideas within the constitution came from the
  philosophers of the day like Voltaire and
  Montesquieu.

11
Milestones in the Evolution of Democracy and
Human Rights

• The UNs Universal Declaration of Human Rights in
  1948 was enacted to try and prevent the
  atrocities of WWII.
• This declaration covers 6 areas
• Political, civil, equality, economic, social and
  cultural rights.

12
Milestones in the Evolution of Democracy and
Human Rights

• Canada adopted the Charter of Rights and Freedoms
  in 1982.
• The Charter outlines Canadians rights with
  regard to

13
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

• Fundamental freedoms right to freedom of
  conscience and religion
• Democratic rights Right to vote
• Mobility Rights Right to move from place to
  place within Canada
• Legal Rights Right to life, liberty and the
  security of the person.
• Equality Rights Right to protection of the law
  without discrimination based on race, national or
  ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or
  physical disability.

14
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

• Language rights the equality of French and
  English languages in particular settings.
• Minority-language education rights Provincial
  governments must provide certain language rights
  to English or French minoritites.
• However, the notwithstanding clause is a
  portion of the Charter which allows for these
  rights to be suspended when such reasonable
  limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably
  justified in a free and democratic society.

15
Human Rights and Colonization

• Is it possible for a country to be an imperial
  power and still be concerned about human rights?
• Does it make a difference if the colonizers truly
  believe that they are helping the people native
  to the area?

16
What is the Cartoonist Saying?
17
Human Rights in Former Colonies

• During the 19th and 20th centuries colonies began
  to gain their independence from European imperial
  powers, either by fighting or by political
  pressure.
• Canada gained its independence in 1867 but
  countries in Africa like Ghana and Kenya did not
  become independent until the 1950s and 1960s.
• Why do you think there was a difference of about
  100 years?

18
How are Globalization, Human Rights and Democracy
Related?

• Do human rights follow when democracy is
  instituted?
• Some believe that across the globe freedom has
  been increasing.
• As proof, many cite the work of Freedom House
  which ranks the amount of freedom a country has
  in political rights and civil liberties from
  1(best)-7(worst).
• Canada ranks a 1 in both while Libya ranks a 7 in
  both.

19
Trade and Transnational Corporations

• Economic globalization presents both challenges
  and opportunities.
• Transnationals move factories to countries where
  workplace and environmental standards are lower
  and this has lead to human rights violations.
• Also, to attract transnational may reduce tax
  rates, which lessens the amount of money
  available for social programs and compounds the
  issues.

20
Trade and Transnational Corporations Contd

• At times, the World Bank may agree to lend
  countries money for development but often require
  the countries to comply with certain criteria.
• For example, in Bolivia one requirement was that
  they privatize the water industry. They complied
  and as a result water rose in price by 50 and
  the poorest Bolivians could not afford clean
  water.

21
Trade and Transnational Corporations Contd

• At the same time trade can be a powerful force in
  stopping human rights violations.
• During apartheid many countries, including
  Canada, boycotted South African products.
• Economic sanctions like these can often put
  pressure on a government to change their
  policies.
• Can you think of any other countries that have
  been sanctioned in the past with a positive
  effect?

22
Transportation and the Movement of People

• As we discussed, transportation has lead to freer
  movement of goods and ideas.
• Many people have found better lives in new
  countries.
• Sometimes, conditions are bad for people but they
  are not allowed to claim refugee status, this
  leads to people immigrating to countries
  illegally.
• Often these illegal aliens are forced to work
  off the books and as such make very little money
  in dangerous jobs.

23
Human Trafficking

• Some people are so desperate to leave their home
  country that they go to criminal organizations to
  get help.
• Often, women that are moved via criminal
  organizations are forced into prostitution.
• Illegal immigrants and victims of human
  trafficking are exploited because they are not
  protected by their home government or their new
  countrys government and often do not have access
  to health care.

24
The Media

• The media can be a powerful force in the fight
  for human rights but can also negatively impact a
  countrys traditions.
• India is an example, it is the worlds most
  populous democracy but in the 1990s American TV
  began to be shown on Indian televisions.

25
The Media Contd

• Quickly, young Indians began to dress in a
  fashion that was considered unacceptable by
  traditional standards.
• Baywatch in particular is seen as a major
  influence

26
Do You See a Difference?
27
Communication Technologies

• Activists around the world have been using the
  internet to further their cause.
• As a result, the internet has been called a
  source of information democracy or media
  democracy.
• Special interest groups can quickly get their
  information out to large groups of people to
  promote their causes.

28
Communication Technologies Contd

• When Bolivians began posting the fact that they
  were being charged huge sums of money for water
  the Bolivian government cancelled the contract
  with supplier Bechtel.
• As a result Bechtel planned to take Bolivia to
  the World Bank and sue them for lost profits.
• When the international community heard about the
  pending law suit protesters began online
  movements that were so powerful that the suit was
  dropped.

29
Some Ripple Effects of Globalization

• The internet has fostered much of our current
  globalization.
• It allows many people to communicate with others
  right across the globe, participate directly in
  the world market and search out their own news.
• However, the internet is also a source of
  ignorance. Because it is open to everyone to
  post their opinions and facts users must be
  careful when considering their sources.

30
The Ingenuity Gap

• This is the gap between peoples need for new and
  innovative solutions to problems and their
  ability to supply those solutions.
• In general, we rely on our scientists and
  entrepreneurs to create solutions to the problems
  we have in society.
• However, if a country does not have access to
  scientists or entrepreneurs this ingenuity gap
  becomes dangerous to their economy.

31
Ingenuity Gap Contd

• Thomas Homer-Dixon states there are 4 hurdles to
  problem solving
• Market Failure The market does not provide
  opportunities for businesses to make money,
  perhaps because the necessary resources are not
  available.
• Shortage of Capital Financial and human
  resources are not available to solve the problems.

32
Ingenuity Gap Contd

• Science Cannot Operate Scientific research
  cannot be conducted for reasons such as lack of
  funding or the controversial nature of the topic
  being explored.
• Social Conflict In times of turmoil, groups
  take action to protect their own interests rather
  than the interests of society as a whole.

33
How Has Global Awareness Affected Gender Issues?

• The gender gap are the social, economic and
  political differences that separate men and women
  in a country.
• A 2005 study by World Economics Forum measured
  the extent to which women in 58 countries had
  achieved equality with men in terms of economics,
  politics, education and health care.

34
How Has Global Awareness Affected Gender Issues?

• At right are the countries that ranked highest
  and near the bottom in the study.
• Why do you think Canada did not rank higher on
  the list?
• What geographic patterns do you notice?

35
Gender Issues and Communication Technologies

• Many changes in womens equality have come about
  because womens organizations have used
  communications technologies to share ideas,
  information and documents.
• These technologies allow people to participate,
  from a distance, in decisions that directly
  affect them.
• Even in places where internet is not available,
  they may use things like radios and faxes to
  communicate.

36
The Communication Gap

• One of the greatest barriers encountered by
  womens groups is the lack of access that some
  women have to communications.
• This is especially true in developing countries,
  where even when people have access to the
  internet or phones it may only be men who have
  had sufficient training or education to use it.

37
Women in Government

• At no time in the world have women occupied 50
  of the seats in a national parliament even though
  women generally make up 50 of the populations.
• Rwanda has come the closest at 48.8.
• Why do you suppose women do not have as many
  positions in government as men?

38
Women and Employment

• Equality in the workplace in Canada and other
  countries continues to be a concern.
• In 1967, women who worked full-time earned only
  58.4 of the their male counterparts wages.
• This gap had been reduced to 71.2 as of 2003 but
  still exists.

39
Women and Employment Contd

• In addition to salaries, women are also
  struggling to be hired for top jobs in
  corporations.
• In 2006 only 5.4 of Canadas top 500 earners
  were women and only 15.1 of top company
  positions were occupied by women.
• On average, women spend 4.3 hrs/day on unpaid
  work while men only do 2.8 hrs/day.
• What effect do you think this has on salaries?

40
How Has Global Awareness Affected Labour and
Employment Issues?

• As we discussed before, Canadians get to enjoy
  cheap bananas and other fruit produced in places
  like Ecuador.
• However, these cheap prices are often at a cost
  to the workers in the producing countries.
• More and more people are becoming aware of the
  affect on workers in foreign countries and are
  uncomfortable with what they reveal.

41
Unions and Collective Bargaining

• Union membership is dropping right across the
  world.
• Unions first formed during the industrial
  revolution to promote workers rights and raise
  wages.
• Now, unions are seen by many as a barrier to
  developing nations success.
• Some countries believe that if their workers
  unionize production costs for companies will
  become too high and they will pull their
  operations from the country and leave the economy
  in a shambles.

42
International Initiatives

• Unions have still not gained a foothold
  internationally.
• Unions are attempting to include workers across
  borders to help avoid the impact of globalization
  on the poor.
• As long as major differences in wages exist
  unions believe that workers are vulnerable to the
  forces of globalization.
• How do you feel about unions?

43
Labour Standards

• At virtually every meeting of the World Bank, IMF
  or G8 is met by protesters representing NGOs.
• They protest loudly and sometimes violently
  against the actions of big business.
• They believe that globalization is ruining the
  lives of people in developing countries.
• Although these protesters do not have any ability
  to make real policy decisions their ability to
  raise public awareness of the issues.

44
SEATTLE 1999
45
What Do the Protesters Want?

• The International Labour Organization has four
  main fundamental principles and rights at work.
• Freedom from forced labour.
• Freedom from discrimination in the workplace.
• A ban on child labour.
• The right to organize and bargain collectively.
• Despite the ILOs principles the debate between
  the race to the bottom and making markets too
  expensive for companies rages on.

46
The Knowledge Economy

• As we saw with the ingenuity gap the worlds
  workforce can be divided into workers that can
  use knowledge to generate ideas and those who
  cannot.
• The knowledge economy requires workers to use
  technology to be successful in their careers.
• Some even feel that instead of money, developed
  countries should send teachers and entrepreneurs
  to developing countries.

47
How Are Global Awareness and Quality of Life
Related?

• Many of us feel pressure to wear the top labels.
• Look around the classroom, what labels do you
  see?
• What impact do you think this has on fellow
  students?

48
STARBURY

• Stephon Marbury, a point guard for the New York
  Knicks of the NBA grew up poor and his mother
  could not afford to buy him the expensive labels.
• Knowing how hard it was on his mom he has created
  a line of running shoes that retail for
• 15
• To top it off, he proves their worth by actually
  wearing them himself.

49
STARBURY Contd

• The line of shoes and clothing are made available
  at Steve and Barrys clothing store. Theres one
  near Disneyland next time youre there (its
  terrific).
• The line has 12 different styles of shoes and
  also has a selection of athletic and street
  clothing.

50
Social Clauses

• Some organizations have pushed to include a
  social clause in trade agreements.
• These clauses requires countries to stop the most
  extreme forms of labour exploitation including
  forced labour, very low wages and child labour.
• If countries violate these agreements sanctions
  can be placed on them.

51
Effective Governance

• When people are governed effectively, their
  quality of life improves.
• Effective governance includes
• Respect for human rights.
• Efficient and effective institutions, such as
  courts that protect citizens.
• Police forces that do not use their powers for
  their own benefit.
• Parliaments that reflect the goals and
  aspirations of the citizens of a country.
• Many international organizations and NGOs promote
  effective governance by exposing corrupt and
  unfair practices.

52
Foreign Debt

• Foreign debt can dramatically reduce the quality
  of life in a country.
• As the debt of a country increases it becomes
  tougher and tougher to get out of debt.
• As a result countries may be forced to privatize
  more and more industries and as such lose control
  of resources or other sources of income.
• Imagine if you had a huge debt load, how would it
  affect the choices available to you?

53
International Funding Agencies

• The World Bank and IMF are key players in debt
  situations.
• When loans are made the organizations require the
  governments to reduce spending or make other
  adjustments.
• As a result, governments have found that quality
  of life for their citizens if often reduced.

54
International Funding Agencies

• As churches and NGOs have become aware of the
  situations in developing countries they have
  started to ask developed nations to forgive these
  debts.
• These groups argue that this generation is
  suffering because of debts that they did not
  incur.
• They argue that leaders and corrupt governments
  should bear some responsibility.