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/lp/brill/jacques-maritain-natural-law-and-the-universal-declaration-of-human-qyIdY0kDeu
- Publisher
- Brill
- Copyright
- © 2006 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
- ISSN
- 1388-199X
- eISSN
- 1571-8050
- DOI
- 10.1163/157180506779884455
- Publisher site
- See Article on Publisher Site
Abstract
Andrew Woodcock 245 Journal of the Histor y of International Law 8 : 245–266, 2006. ©2006 Koninklijke Brill NV. Printed in the Netherlands. Jacques Maritain, Natural Law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Andrew Woodcock* Introduction In December 1948, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution by which it adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (“the Declaration”). This was the culmination of several years work from the leading scholars, jurists and politicians of the age, from across the entire world. It was, to a very large e�tent, a statement of hope for the future. It was brought into e�istence at the conclusion of a world-wide conflagration, which cost 55 million lives. Despite this, it represents a belief by the 58 member states at the time that the human condition was capable of improvement. This paper will focus on the ideological source of the principles espoused in the Declaration. Specifically, a survey will be undertaken of the evolution of Natural Law theory, to determine the e�tent to which the Declaration represents a culmination or continuation of that tradition. Finally, consideration will be given to the work of Jacques Maritain, to determine the e�tent to which his
Journal
Journal of the History of International Law / Revue d'histoire du droit international – Brill
Published: Jan 1, 2006