A Negative right is a right, either moral or decreed by law, to not be subject to an action of another (usually abuse or coercion) so that restraint is incumbent upon another, as opposed to a positive right which is a right to be provided with something by the positive action of another. The former proscribes action, while the latter prescribes action.
One example of a negative right is the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, which makes it unlawful for anyone to abridge the speech of another. A law that would require another to provide him with a microphone would codify a positive right.
A negativeright is a right, either moral or decreed by law, to not be subject to an action of another human being (usually abuse or coercion).
Negativerights are sometimes contrasted with positive rights, which are rights to be provided with something by the positive action of another.
Socialists and leftists argue that there should be no distinction between negative and positive rights, while classical liberals and libertarians believe that positive rights by their nature contravene negativerights and are therefore unacceptable.
Feeds |
Contact