[governance] Inputs for synthesis paper

[Milton L Mueller]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Parminder [mailto:parminder at itforchange.net]
> 
> BTW 'right to work' is mentioned in Universal Declaration of Human
> Rights. Much of UDHR is not enforceable in any court. Do you for that
> reason find no meaning in it?

In the U.S., "right to work" means you don't have to join a union to
work at an employer with a collective bargaining agreement. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-to-work_law 

If the UDHR means a right to have a job, then Yes, to me it is quite
meaningless. The enshrinement of that claim as a right in an
international document does not create jobs, it does not provide anyone
with the budgetary wherewithal to reduce unemployment or support the
unemployed, it does not tell you what wage you get for your labor, etc.
etc....

What is wrong with just saying, "public policy should maximize
productive employment?" or "unemployment is bad and economic policy
makers should take care to avoid it"? Why call this a right? 

But this gives me a great idea. Since I have an internationally
guaranteed right to a job and Parminder supports that, when in India I
will insist on my right to work for ITforChange as a policy analyst. You
wouldn't dare refuse, and once hired you couldn't fire me either, it
would violate my right. ;-) 

Seriously, though, I do understand what you are trying to say, P. You
are saying that if we valorize certain social benefits as "rights" we
encourage people to strive to find ways to deliver them. 

And I am warning you that such a tactic incurs costs, and that one can
define and encourage people to achieve certain benefits without
necessarily calling them rights. 
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