Responses from the Economist to the letter sent by ESCR-Net Secretariat and subsequent conversation

-----Original Message-----

 

From: Edward Lucas [mailto:EdwardLucas@economist.com]

Sent: Mon 4/2/2007 10:19 AM

To: Julieta Rossi

Subject: from Edward Lucas

 

Dear Ms Rossi

 

Thank you for your letter about my recent articles on Amnesty International. It is one of many written on the subject, and in support of Irene Khan. I am sorry that it did not make the final selection for the print edition. However I hope it will appear in our online letters column.

 

I am of course aware that economic and social rights feature in the UN declaration on human rights and elsewhere. The "right" to a job, education, health etc sounds superficially attractive, but in practice it is either pernicious or meaningless. Either it is a disguised lobby for higher welfare spending and state intervention, or it is drawn very narrowly, as in the right to seek work, obtain healthcare, education etc without state-imposed discrimination. That is not really the same as the "right" to a job. It would be more honest if the defenders of these economic, social and cultural rights would come straight out and say that they believe that socialism is the answer, and campaign for it, rather than dressing up their demands for more state intervention in the legalistic language of rights.

 

The Economist deplores bad government and condemns it in rich and poor countries alike. However in our view the language of justice is stronger than that of rights.

 

Regards

 

Edward Lucas 

 

Edward Lucas

Deputy Editor, International Section

Central and Eastern Europe correspondent

The Economist

25 St James St

London SW1A 1HG

 

-----Original Message-----

From: "Julieta Rossi" <jrossi@escr-net.org>

To: Edward Lucas <EdwardLucas@economist.com>

 

Sent: 04/04/2007 17:33:25

Subject: Response from ESCR-Net 

 

Dear Mr. Lucas, 

 

Thank you for your response. I would greatly appreciate the publication of my letter in your online letters of column. 

 

Unfortunately, I have to disagree with your statements again. You say you are aware that economic and social rights feature in the UN declaration and other treaties but your response disregards that fact once more. Through the ratification of international agreements, governments have committed to fulfill economic and social rights irrespective of their political and economic system. It is not a matter of socialism or capitalism. There are certain social minimums that all governments or the majority of them have voluntarily decided to comply with. Defenders of economic and social rights want to make governments accountable for their international commitments and do not disguise their demands under the legalistic language of rights. They straightforwardly demand basic human rights -civil, political, economic, social and cultural- for all. 

 

The Economist seems to be ideologically committed to defending a particular economic system and perhaps the narrow interests of those that have benefited from that system, we are on the contrary foremost committed to defending the human rights of all individuals and communities, challenging ongoing poverty and oppression as violations of human rights.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration. 

 

Julieta Rossi

Red DESC/ESCR-Net/Réseau DESC

Director

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Edward Lucas [mailto:EdwardLucas@economist.com]

Sent: Wed 4/4/2007 1:57 PM

To: Julieta Rossi

Subject: Re: Response from ESCR-Net

 

Thanks. You are right that we are unapologetic defenders of capitalism and free markets--the greatest wealth-creation system the world has ever seen. We like the rule of law and property rights too

EL

 

Please forgive brevity--typed with my thumbs.

www.edwardlucas.blogspot.com

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