- Published: September 27, 2022
- Updated: September 27, 2022
- University / College: University of Notre Dame
- Level: Doctor of Philosophy
- Language: English
- Downloads: 29
Human rights defenders
This has often been used to describe those persons who either personally or collectively advocate for the protection of human rights within a certain jurisdiction.
The problem with Autocratic Systems
Civil societies have always been staunch defenders of human rights in autocratic systems an example is Liu Xiaobo who was given an 11-year sentence for the subversion of state power. Li et al (104) acknowledge by asserting that the “ demand for human rights in China today is actually an indispensable step in the country’s modernization plans”.
Legal reforms in China
The legal structure and laws governing this China are one of the oldest in the world and it is very complicated as it includes a lot of ancient Chinese practices as well as Western influences.
Counter Argument
The Chinese economy has been growing rapidly and that the pace of human rights reforms have been picking up and that it should be noted that political reforms should not be equated to legal reforms, they are correlated but not synonymous.
Refutation
Political reforms should set the tone for legal reforms; adoption of democratic principles in governance ultimately has a bearing on the justice system of a nation. For Béja et al (158) a “ harmonious society should feature democracy, the rule of law, equity, justice, sincerity, amity, and vitality”.