This essay will deal with the question of wether and how the concept of human rights has led to changes in Soviet policies and to the end of the „Cold War“. A special focus will be on the work of the CSCE (Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europea) and non-governmental groups (further revered to as NGOs).
After World War II, national leaders had learned that international regimes were not just a domestic matter but could themselves become a menace to world peace. Although, while many human rights are, as Louise Shelley has pointed out, a Western concept and not encouraged or institutionalized by many non-Western countries, these countries were signatories to the United Nations´ convention on human rights. Still their political and social cultures did not conform to many of the provisions expressed in it. This issue of human rights, as it has emerged mainly out of the ideas of the Enlightenment, still remained alien to many of the world´s nations after the War.
As has been pointed out by distinguished historians and as Shelley mentioned, Russia remained 'outside' the Enlightenment. The Soviet Union is the heir of the Russian legal tradition, a culture in which individual rights were consistently subordinated to the state. It is also important to note that Russia was, as Shelley said, never directly exposed to the ideas of the Enlightenment, although some of its values were transmitted via the czars.
Most important to know is that Human rights cannot be imposed on a society. Institutions that foster and nurture human rights must develop in a society itself. This is a gradual process. In societies without such a tradition it is unnatural to expect that such a transformation can occur in the face of a different historical legacy and in the face of other pressing economic and political problems.
Knowing this, the following paper will show how NGOs and Soviet national leaders have tried to establish Human Rights in the USSR and what role the CSCE played in that process.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction.
- The CSCE
- CSCE Human Rights concerns
- The CSCE as an Human Rights Regime.
- The Soviet ‘Helsinki Period’
- Pressure Groups and their influence on governments.
- The rise and fall of Soviet NGOs (before Gorbachev)..
- The changing face of Human Rights during the Cold War.
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This essay aims to analyze the influence of human rights on Soviet policies and the end of the Cold War, focusing on the role of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
- The evolving concept of human rights in the post-World War II era.
- The role of the CSCE in promoting human rights in Eastern Europe.
- The impact of pressure groups and NGOs on Soviet policies.
- The changing dynamics of human rights within the context of the Cold War.
- The significance of the Helsinki Accords and their implications for the Soviet Union.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the essay's central question: whether and how the concept of human rights contributed to changes in Soviet policies and the end of the Cold War. It discusses the historical context of human rights, highlighting its Western origin and the challenges of applying it to non-Western societies like the Soviet Union.
- The CSCE: This chapter focuses on the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) and its role in promoting human rights. It describes the origins of the CSCE, the signing of the Helsinki Accords, and the subsequent impact on US-European-Soviet dialogue on human rights. It also explains how the West used the CSCE to limit Soviet influence and promote the recognition of human rights norms.
- CSCE Human Rights Concerns: This chapter details the CSCE's commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms, emphasizing its goal of achieving a lasting order of peace, security, and cooperation in Europe. It highlights the participants' concerns regarding acts of discrimination and hostility against individuals and groups on national, ethnic, or religious grounds, recognizing these issues as matters of international concern. The chapter also emphasizes the importance of active involvement by individuals, groups, and organizations in ensuring progress towards human rights goals.
- The CSCE as an Human Rights Regime: This chapter discusses the ten fundamental principles established by the CSCE, outlining the guidelines for states' behavior towards their citizens and each other. It explains the Western strategy of monitoring specific areas of behavior to promote human rights and its understanding of the Soviet Union's unwillingness to accept a broad statement on freedom of emigration.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This preview focuses on the concept of human rights within the Cold War context, specifically addressing the role of the CSCE, NGOs, and pressure groups in influencing Soviet policies. Key terms include human rights, Cold War, CSCE, Helsinki Accords, NGOs, Soviet Union, pressure groups, political change, international relations, and Eastern Europe.
- Quote paper
- BA of Arts Annalena Schäfer (Author), 2013, The Soviet Union and the CSCE. How Human Rights helped end the Cold War, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/347062
