natural rights
Inherent human freedoms
Natural rights are rights believed to belong to all humans by virtue of being human, not granted by governments or laws.
The concept holds that certain freedoms—typically life, liberty, and property—exist independently of legal systems and cannot legitimately be taken away.
The Declaration of Independence invokes natural rights when it speaks of unalienable rights.
The term is foundational to Enlightenment political philosophy and modern human rights discourse.
English empiricist philosopher's surname
- social contractAgreement exchanging freedom for order
- EnlightenmentEra prioritizing reason over dogma
- RousseauFrench surname, philosopher or painter
- HobbesEnglish political philosopher
jurisprudence · political theory · consent · legitimacy · reason · individualism · civic virtue · Montesquieu
Animate state
- libertyAbsence of unjust constraint
- birthrightEntitlement from origin
- inherentExisting as essential part
- fundamentalForming the base
self-evident · endowment · immutable · non-transferable · inviolable · universal · God-given · unalienable
Same status for all
- respectRegard with honor
- justiceFair treatment under law
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- personhoodStatus as a person
inviolability · humaneness · inherent value · recognition · self-respect · humanity · universality · impartiality
Independent decision-making capacity
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- free willAutonomous choice capacity
- self-ownershipExclusive bodily authority
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
conscience · expression · assembly · property · religion · speech · movement · association
Locke
English empiricist philosopher's surname
- social contractAgreement exchanging freedom for order
- EnlightenmentEra prioritizing reason over dogma
- RousseauFrench surname, philosopher or painter
Hobbes · jurisprudence · political theory · consent · legitimacy · reason · individualism · civic virtue · Montesquieu · Paine
life
Animate state
- libertyAbsence of unjust constraint
- birthrightEntitlement from origin
- inherentExisting as essential part
fundamental · self-evident · endowment · immutable · non-transferable · inviolable · universal · God-given · unalienable · entitlement
equality
Same status for all
personhood · inviolability · humaneness · inherent value · recognition · self-respect · humanity · universality · impartiality
autonomy
Independent decision-making capacity
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- free willAutonomous choice capacity
- self-ownershipExclusive bodily authority
sovereignty · conscience · expression · assembly · property · religion · speech · movement · association · privacy
- American RevolutionDeclaration of Independence, Boston Tea Party, Continental Congress, founding fathers, Stamp Act
- freedomfreedom of choice, freedom of will, free will, expression, speech
- rightscivil liberties, right, immunity, liberty, constitutional guarantees
- human rightshuman dignity, civil liberties, right to liberty, right to life, right to vote
- political philosophypolitical philosophy, political theory, political thought, social contract, sovereignty
- 17th-18th century Europe movementsenlightenment, baroque, rococo, reformation, absolutism
natural rightslegal rights
Freedoms protected by law
statutory rights · civil rights · constitutional rights · privileges · political rights
natural, nature, rights, unnatural, supernatural, naturalness, naturalist, natures, naturalize