Human Rights in the EU and the US: Social Worker v. Good Cop?

Abstract

The EU and the United States are the most important state promoters of human rights and share a common human rights legacy. However, the human rights approaches of the EU and the US display crucial differences in comparison to each other: first, the acceptance of social and economic rights in Europe v. a focus on individual freedom in the US; second, a stricter and harsher law enforcement in the US; and third, the possibility for EU citizens to address international human rights courts and commissions. Values and attitudes explain the transatlantic divide in human rights. The EU emphasizes dignity as the core value underpinning human rights and is more reluctant towards the use of force inside and outside its borders. In the US, negative freedom is the paramount value for justifying human rights and the United States are more willing to use force against criminals, terror suspects and enemies abroad.