Civil Liberties and Right Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is Common Law?
Traditional conceptions of how disputes should be settled and what rights individuals have, established by judges.
Define Formal Equality.
Equal status for all members of society regardless of social background.
What significant event happened in 1215 related to the Magna Carta?
The unpopular King John sought peace with rebel Barons, leading to the drafting of a royal charter of rights.
What rights did the Magna Carta promise?
Protection for church rights and protection from illegal imprisonment.
What did John Locke assert in 1689?
Every citizen has a natural right to life, liberty, and property.
Since when has it been assumed that every citizen has rights unless prohibited by law?
Since the 17th century.
What is the Bill of Rights 1689 known for?
Setting limits on the powers of the monarch and establishing the rights of Parliament.
What does the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) enshrine?
The rights and freedoms of all human beings.
When was the UDHR adopted and what motivated it?
Adopted in 1948, motivated by the horror of the Holocaust.
How many articles detail individuals’ rights in the UDHR?
30 articles.
Is the UDHR legally binding?
No, but its contents have been incorporated into international treaties.
What is the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR)?
A convention drafted in 1950 by the Council of Europe that establishes human rights.
How many member states are party to the ECHR?
46 Council of Europe member states.
What did the Human Rights Act 1998 achieve?
Brought the ECHR into effect in the UK and established a wide range of rights.
What is the role of the Human Rights Act 1998 in relation to public bodies?
It is binding on all public bodies other than the UK Parliament.
What was the purpose of the Freedom of Information Act?
To allow citizens and the media to access information held by public bodies.
What did the Labour government achieve with the Freedom of Information Act in 2000?
Allowed citizens to discover information about them held by public bodies.
What did the Equality Act 2012 outlaw?
Discrimination against any group based on various characteristics.
List some characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2012.
- Age
- Gender
- Marriage
- Pregnancy
- Disability
- Race
- Nationality
- Ethnic origin
- Religion
- Sex
What are civil liberties?
Freedoms enjoyed by citizens that protect them from unfair treatment by the state.
How do civil rights differ from civil liberties?
Civil rights are protected by the government, while civil liberties are freedoms from the government.
True or False: Civil liberties are considered a positive freedom.
False.
What happened in the 1970s regarding rights in the UK?
Internment in Northern Ireland allowed arresting suspected terrorists without trial.
What significant change occurred in the UK after 9/11?
The government was allowed to hold suspected terrorists for long periods without trial.
