Human Rights and Marxism Overview

These flashcards cover essential concepts related to human rights, Marxism, and their intersections, enhancing understanding of their historical and theoretical contexts.

Human Rights

Rights derived from our common humanity, defined as universal, indivisible, and inalienable.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

A milestone document that articulated the rights all human beings are entitled to, emerging from the response to the Holocaust.

Genocide

The most extreme form of human rights violation, referring to the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group.

Dialectical Materialism

A Marxist principle stating that conflict, tension, and contradictions in historical relationships are crucial for societal change.

Means of Production

The resources (physical and non-physical) needed to produce goods and services, including land and machinery.

Surplus Value

The value created by workers beyond their wages, which is claimed by those who own the means of production.

Exploitation

The extraction of surplus value from workers by owners of the means of production.

Class Struggle

The ongoing conflict between different classes with opposing interests, particularly between the bourgeoisie and proletariat.

Critique of Universalism

Arguments highlighting that universal human rights declarations are often shaped by a small elite and may not reflect the realities of marginalized individuals.

Capitalism

An economic system where private ownership of production means exists, leading to class disparities and exploitation.