CitizenshipandCivilSociety

Rightsandobligationsareconfusing.Whenpeoplereallywantorneedsomethingtheycallitaright.Cantheysimplyattachthiswordtoanythingtheywant?Canpeopledisregardobligationswithimpunity?Thisbookarguesthattheycannot.Onemustunderstandthoserelationshipsinspecificwaystoreallyknowwhatcanorcannotbedonewithrightsandobligationsinpublicdiscourseandpolitics.Theymustcreateawebofinteractionbetweencitizenssothatmorelong-termsocialinvestmentsmaybemade.ProfessorJanoskishowsthatindividualrightsprotectingprivacy,freespeech,andlegalaccessaremorehighlydevelopedinsocialdemocraticcountriesthaninliberalcountries.Ontheotherhand,obligationsinthosesamesocialdemocraticcountriesarehigher.Onthewhole,rightsandobligationsareinbalance;or,yougetwhatrightsyoupayforintermsoffulfillingobligationstothestateandsociety.