Crime and Human Rights Violation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Crime and Human Rights Violation - Essay Example Although some of them would enter such competition voluntarily for the prize money or prestige, majority of them could not refuse for being slaves or prisoners stripped of rights granted to other human beings. Albert Camus, the mid-20th century philosopher, discoursed in â€Å"The Rebel† (Camus 6) the illogical defense of violation of human rights by the holder of power. No one can question the atrocities and genocide committed before the start of the Common Era. But it would seem absurd that such acts were committed by people in power in modern times when people are expected to act and behave with civility. Camus might had been exasperated and disappointed with the turn of events in modern society since the powerless majority are subjected under the control of the authority expected to protect the people but nevertheless becomes the oppressor and tyrant. The discourses and politico-philosophical essays of Camus might be rooted to his family and childhood experiences (Albert C amus pars. 4-6). He grew up in a poor family and in an impoverished environment. He also experienced a hard life during the war. He was a socialist all throughout his life but an anti-communist. The Algerian Communist Party was at odds with the Le Parti du Peuple Algerien, which he considered as more people oriented and to which he was a member. His views and discourses surely reflected his own experiences. Barbaric and inhumane treatment of people in the distant past were common as part of conquest areas and territories. Even the common people would gleefully watch criminals or war prisoners being tortured or whipped to death in public places. Gladiators killing each other in the arena serve as an entertainment for the rulers and the people. It can be deduced that inhumane treatment of slaves or criminals is part of the culture of the people then. The values and social perspective of the people in a particular society were reflected even to the entertainment and recreational aspect of their lives. Many of the prisoners and slaves were taken as captives from other tribes or communities. Invasion of one territory is made for the purpose of controlling the people of that place and make them subject of the invader. The invader would also want to control the territory and all its resources, food, minerals, livestock, etc. to serve the needs of the people of the invading group. Thus, in the olden times, the conquered people were treated as inferior in society with lesser rights or no rights at all. As a resulted, there are groups in society which were not treated as an equal or as a human being. Or worst, they were viewed as mere animals that can be mutilated at the pleasure of the authorities. Severe punishments were already influenced by the perspective of the ruling elite of the time. In the pre-Common Era China, for instance, punishments given by the leaders were severe on the notion that people were naturally evil and must be punished severely (Lambert, Legali sm par. 2). At around 2000 BCE, humans were sacrificed and buried beneath the foundations of buildings (Lambert, A More Advanced par. 3). Invading nations in the past think of themselves as superior than the rest of the nations. They think that they had more advanced civilization, knowledge and systems. These nations may have had advanced military