[TLDR (too long didn’t read): If you are reading this, chances are you care about HR. This Reader is about what remains to be done when autocratic regimes call the shots and undermine human rights. For a quick overview, just read the bolded text].
1. Those of us who give our very best for the people to take the reins of politics into their own hands are constantly circumventing traps, ambushes and blackmailing. Even if under normal conditions we can choose for whom to vote, Capitalism does not allow the majority of people to freely elect someone; this ‘freedom’ is incomplete and only formal. Even if we choose to vote for authorities that call themselves independents and devoted-to-service-of-the-citizens, their efforts have a good chance of being thwarted by the powers-that-be.
2. Evidence shows that the formal political discourse tends to be neutralized or captured by the forces of a conservative government and their corporate and think-tank cronies (that, in fact, become the political power behind the scene). This de-facto political power is opposed to the de-jure political power (by right) thus making democracy a sham for most voters. If the government is externally controlled and tends to operate as a mere implementer of external interests at the service of Capitalism, the call is not to defend democracy with its sham elections, but to combat that that makes this interference possible –and that opens the door for extreme-right regimes. (Rafael Agacino)
The ascent of autocracy
3. When the state veers to the extreme right, this is preceded by an escalation of preparatory acts:
a) reactionary activist organizations pop-up with the backing of ‘colonized’ sectors of the armed forces;
b) fearful right-wing political parties feel compelled to stay quiet thus condoning impunity;
c) forces of the Left, that traditionally question the capitalist system, fall for the false promises of progress so that they end up supporting the escalade;*
d) and the Center? Well, the Center is nothing but the Right. (Francois Mitterand)
All this, puts an end to the aspirations of established parties** leading the situation to a slow sliding towards dictatorship. (Jorge Sabalza)
*: Besides the fact that too often melancholy colors most left-wing discussions (Andreas Malm), the Left actually, in this case, moves in a minefield set by the Right. (Louis Casado)
**: In reality, the standard of living of the working class has been going down and down in a way that a high percentage of the young in this class will not have higher living standards than their parents. This being so, it should come as no surprise that the current working class abandons the left-wing political parties their ancestors formed with sweat and tears as the latter have been abandoning their progressive social democratic ideology. Take for instance: the climate change theme has overshadowed key economic and labor themes that are key to the day-to-day life and aspirations of the workers. (Vicente Navarro)
4. Needless to say, the upholding of human rights (HR) principles and other universal values is too often in contradiction with the concrete practices the holders of power engage-in. But, alas, this contradiction is not perceived by the general public. As much as this contradiction has always existed, it is now more evident than ever. Principles are rather adapted to what is considered the most convenient or useful for the ‘practical needs’ of the moment. For instance, the extreme right justifies the use of raw power*** as it demonizes universal values thus becoming a reactionary force and not just a force of conservatism. [Conservatives defend the principles of the French Revolution (liberty, equality and fraternity). Reactionaries may have their own interpretation of liberty, but boycott anything that has to do with an inclusive democracy and are rather in favor of installing a veritable dictatorship. (Boaventura de Sousa Santos)].
***: Those who wield capitalist power know that, without legitimacy, their heads are in permanent danger. This explains their obsession with legitimizing their power machinery.
5. This all reminds us of keeping the following caveat in mind: Human rights principles, standards and norms are not self-executing. The arbitrary interpretation or selective application of international HR law derived from (quasi-)universally ratified treaties, confronts us with denouncing the use of double-standards and selectivity that undermine the authority of international HR law and frustrates its function to ensure stability and predictability in the application of HR.**** [We note here that the international HR treaty regime necessarily has priority over holy or unholy military alliances, over trade and other commercial agreements, as well as over HR-violations-condoning-national-legislation. None of the preceding can, therefore, infringe on pre-existing HR treaty obligations as ratified by the vast majority of states. (Alfred de Zayas)
****: States must respect not only the letter of the law, but also the spirit of the law (remembering Montesquieu’s “De l’Esprit des Lois”, 1749). So, wherever there is a violation of international HR law, there is a state obligation to provide prompt, adequate and effective remedies. (A. Zayas) How far we still are from this…
Populism wins over people thanks to its tricky deception of the ill-informed claim holders (Albino Gomez)
6. The ideological domination of capitalist dogmatism, has not only won-over the easy prey in society, but has also resulted in the obliteration of simple, common-sense, rational and reflexive thought. (L. Casado) It is, therefore, high time we show our determination and take stock that we have the capacity and obligation to act and react to the clumsy manipulation of our consciences and that, when we act to change society, we proactively take the responsibility that that decision brings about. (Renato Millas) In other words, as autocrats’ tactics get more ‘creative’ in looking-the-other-way on HR, protecting the state is not the job of governments anymore. Claim holders take note! (Elizabeth Braw)
7. Three of my iron laws apply here:
- Politicians act as if (in our case HR) issues will ultimately somehow bend to their wishful thinking and to their political needs –so they stall. (Yves Smith)
- Some politicians have a surprising capacity to believe in the sanctity of their intentions. (Hamel) The problem of their delusions of greatness is that we do not know where greatness stops and delusion starts. (Quino) and as pertains to intellectuals,
- I do not trust/believe in those intellectuals that, as opposed to politicians, have the opportunity of saying anything they want, make mistakes …and write totally opposing views in their next paper. (Sergio Rodríguez Gelfenstein)
8. Bottom line, I am the first to recognize that it is easier to criticize and find fault with the dominance of this deceiving populism than to organize and mobilize for the genuine social, economic, political and especially the HR interests of claim holders both in the North and in the South. (Albino Gomez) Many of my activism Readers are relevant here.
Claudio Schuftan, Ho Chi Minh City
Your comments are welcome at schuftan@gmail.com