> I have the right to not be enslaved because the government and broadly society deems that valid. But that's a consequence of government force preventing people from enslaving others. Without government intervention, slavery emerges.
That's one way of looking at it. Another is that you do have the right not to be enslaved, just by dint of being a human being, but that sometimes, someplace, because there are no laws or government to enforce your right, you might be enslaved anyway.
In this second perspective, you have the right not to be enslaved even if you happen to actually be a slave; it's just that your right is being violated.
That is, I think, what is meant by a "natural" -- or, if you are American, in a perhaps more familiar term, "inalienable" -- human right. You always have it; it cannot be taken away (or "alienated") from you.
Yeah, I'm also a bit confused as to why the "Founding Fathers" left out healthcare. But maybe they didn't -- I mean, can you really be "happy" if you're ill...? So maybe they meant for it to be included under "the pursuit of happiness". (Hey, in their day medicine was less advanced -- you couldn't be as almost-certain of a beneficial result from medical care as we can today, so that, too, was more of just a "pursuit".)
I jest, but not completely: It'll probably have to be by philosophical introspection. You'll have to look at society -- societies, all over the world and throughout history -- and decide for yourself which of their traits are expressions and which violations of human rights. Figuring out from that which of those rights are "natural" and which not is... Not easy, so I'll leave it as an exercise for the reader.
That's one way of looking at it. Another is that you do have the right not to be enslaved, just by dint of being a human being, but that sometimes, someplace, because there are no laws or government to enforce your right, you might be enslaved anyway.
In this second perspective, you have the right not to be enslaved even if you happen to actually be a slave; it's just that your right is being violated.
That is, I think, what is meant by a "natural" -- or, if you are American, in a perhaps more familiar term, "inalienable" -- human right. You always have it; it cannot be taken away (or "alienated") from you.
Yeah, I'm also a bit confused as to why the "Founding Fathers" left out healthcare. But maybe they didn't -- I mean, can you really be "happy" if you're ill...? So maybe they meant for it to be included under "the pursuit of happiness". (Hey, in their day medicine was less advanced -- you couldn't be as almost-certain of a beneficial result from medical care as we can today, so that, too, was more of just a "pursuit".)