The Right to Have Rights as the Collective Right of a People ―An Interpretation of Hannah Arendt’s Concept of the Right to Have Rights (original) (raw)

2024, Taiwan Democracy Quarterly (臺灣民主季刊)

Abstract

This paper interprets Hannah Arendt's concept of the right to have rights (RthRs) as the collective right of a people, arguing that it is a right to build relationships equally and freely with other peoples around the world. The paper first reviews the existing literature on the concept and argue against Seyla Benhabib's reading of it. By reading and interpreting Arendt's text, I contend that the RthRs is (1) the right to politics, (2) the power of a people, which I refer to the power of a "polity" in Arendt's sense, and (3) the people's power to political actions. Such a reading attempts to explore the meaning of the RthRs as what I called the collective right of a people, which refers to neither declaration of sovereign independence nor self-determination (typically in regard to the statute of the United Nations) but to equal and free collective action, that is, to act as who we are among other peoples (including but not limited to existing sovereign states) around the world. The paper finally explicates why such a reading of the RthRs matters to global politics today and concludes my interpretation of Arendt's concept of the RthRs.

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What is the significance of the right to have rights (RthR) today?add

The research highlights that the RthR remains crucial in understanding the plight of stateless individuals, illustrating that millions face rightlessness today, akin to historical contexts like that of the German Jews during the 1930s.

How do collective rights differ from individual rights in Arendt's interpretation?add

Arendt's interpretation underscores that the RthR emphasizes collective action by people, suggesting that rights stem from political agency rather than mere individual claims, as highlighted by recent refugee movements.

What methodological approach does the paper utilize to analyze the RthR?add

The paper employs a textual analysis of Arendt's works, particularly The Origins of Totalitarianism, and critiques existing interpretations, notably that of Seyla Benhabib, to reveal the collective dimension of the RthR.

How does Arendt's concept of the RthR relate to contemporary global politics?add

The study argues that the RthR symbolizes a collective political agency, providing a framework for marginalized groups, such as the Taiwanese and Sahrawi, to navigate their exclusion from international organizations.

What distinguishes the RthR in the context of human rights theories?add

The research identifies the RthR as a foundational moral right that frames human rights, thereby suggesting that human rights should emerge primarily from collective political actions rather than established legal norms.

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