United Kingdom and Human Rights

This volume contains a series of lectures given by Dr Palley which trace the evolution of human rights, emphasizing the historical contributions of UK philosophers and politicians. Dr Palley looks beyond the traditional, rhetoric-based legal view of civil and political liberties to stress the fact that every modern state's legal institutions strive to provide mechanisms for the peaceful protection and orderly adjustment of the often competing interests of individuals in the society. Current UK law is evaluated and analyzed in order to gauge how far it ensures civil and political liberties, and how it measures up to the human rights tradition and legal standards of the UK. The author concludes by emphasizing that human institutions are composed of people whose education and habits of life will shape decisions. Accordingly, unless public officials and lawyers are imbued with human rights ideals, justice will not be done.