human-rights
Do civil and political rights impose immediate or progressive duties?
<p>I knew that the expenditure of civil and political rights imposes on States, as well as economic and social rights. For instance, a State should train police or other public officials to establish a safeguard system. But I would like to know whether civil and political rights are immediate duties or progressive realization?</p>

<p>What duties a right imposes on government depends on exactly how the right is defined.</p>
<p>By definition, every right imposes a duty on someone. No duty, no right. Take &quot;free speech.&quot; The right to speak freely means others have a duty not to shut you up, or tell you what to say. In the United States, this duty is limited to the government. As the First Amendment says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Congress</strong> shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Among the most important duties that every right imposes is the duty of the government to provide a legal remedy, a way to legally enforce the right. If there is no remedy, then the right is just an empty promise.</p>
<p>Thus, the answer to your question depends on what duties the particular right imposes, including what remedies.</p>
<p>To see how this matters, consider the &quot;right to an education.&quot; By itself, this claim tells us nothing about who has a duty to do what. For example, does the government have a duty to provide an education? If so, what sort of education? And &quot;provide&quot; how? vouchers? free government schools? Or does the right simply require that others not interfere with someone who wants to get an education? And so on.</p>
