The Elite's Orwellian Reinterpretation Of Human Rights
Wanjiru Njoya, via The Mises Institute, discusses Ludwig von Mises' view of revolutionary socialism. He sees it as an attempt to eradicate the old civilization to make way for a new one. This process involves dismantling the legal and philosophical foundations of the old civilization. Activists play a significant role in this process, subverting the meaning of words to suit their agenda. This manipulation of language, termed "Newspeak" by George Orwell, is used to limit the range of thinkable ideas by altering, eliminating, and creating words.
Newspeak and Dictators
Mises explains that dictators express their ideas in Newspeak because, without this linguistic manipulation, their schemes would not receive public support. In particular, the reinterpretation of "human rights" has become a powerful tool for activists. They control a vast empire of international law, NGOs, and human rights charities, using their influence to undermine human liberty by redefining "human rights" to mean the antidiscrimination principle. This principle is then used to restrict free speech and other human liberties, effectively turning the concept of "human rights" into its opposite.
The "Human Right" to Non-Discrimination
The traditional understanding of human rights as the right to life, liberty, and property has been redefined. Karel Vašák has categorized human rights into three types: civil-political, socio-economic, and collective-developmental. These categories encompass negative rights (things the state must not do), positive rights (things the state must do), and rights of solidarity between citizens. Human rights organizations monitor progress against these categories, ensuring that the legal system favors socialist goals and restricts liberty.
The United Nations and Hate Speech
The United Nations human rights program, for example, educates the public on the need to eradicate "hate speech" and interprets "equal protection" of the law as protection from hate speech. The UN links the well-established criminal concept of prohibiting incitement to violence with the notions of incitement to discrimination and incitement to hostility, which have not previously been recognized as crimes. This manipulation of language is a classic example of Orwellian Newspeak.
The Meaning of Human Rights
British journalist Peter Hitchens argues that human rights do not exist, but are an invention used to remove liberty and transform society. He refers to the rights now enshrined in human rights instruments, such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights, which have been transformed into vague concepts reflecting political demands.
Property Rights as Human Rights
Murray Rothbard, on the other hand, defines human rights as property rights. He argues that rights only make sense as property rights and that human rights, when not defined in terms of property rights, become vague and contradictory.
Bureaucratic Reinterpretation
In practice, the meaning of human rights is subject to interpretation by courts or other law enforcement officials. Therefore, human rights ultimately mean only what they are interpreted to mean by law enforcement, not what they may theoretically, politically, or philosophically. Activists aim to ensure that "human rights" are interpreted in a way that advances their goals. This explains their efforts to depict "hate speech" as a human rights violation.
Reinterpreting the Constitution
Through Newspeak, the Constitution itself has been reinterpreted, allowing socialists to claim that they support free speech while also supporting the prohibition of "hate speech." Mises explains that this subverts the concept of freedom into its very opposite. In this sense, the concept of "hate speech" is not compatible with free speech. In denoting any dissent as "hate," it negates free speech and freedom of thought. Through Orwellian Newspeak, ordinary words like "liberty," "justice," and "equality" have been subverted and used to promote socialism.
Bottom Line
The reinterpretation of human rights and the manipulation of language to suit certain agendas is a complex issue. It raises questions about the true meaning of freedom, liberty, and equality. What do you think about this reinterpretation of human rights? Do you believe that the concept of "human rights" has been subverted to limit freedom and promote socialism? Share your thoughts and discuss this article with your friends. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.
