Thomas Fleiner's book is an extraordinarily clear, short account of what human rights are and why they are important. Published in German, Russian, French, Spanish, and Chinese. This is the first English translation.

The 35 short chapters are a wonderful mixture of anecdote, example, and analysis.

Table of Contents

From Human Dignity
Human Rights as a Plaything of Politics
What is a Human Right?
The Monopoly on Force
The History of Human Rights
Why Do We Need Human Rights?
Should People Govern the Law or Should the Law Govern People?
The Separation of Powers and Human Rights
On the Universality of Human Rights
How Can Human Rights be Realised and Protected?
Majority Rule in a Democracy and Human Rights
Courts are the Best Protection
The Secret of the Fair Trial
Are the Police All-Powerful?
Human Rights in the School and Education
Why Does a Murderer Have Human Rights?
Are Asylum-Seekers Human?
The Right to Property
Freedom of Religion
Protection of Constitutional Rights
The Rule of Law
In the Grasp of the State Administration
Human Rights in Social Life
On Equality Before the Law and Its Limits
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of the Press
Human Rights for the Unemployed, Homeless and Beggars
Once Again: Legal Equality and Equality of Opportunity
The Right to a Healthy Environment
The Right to One's Own Language
Ethnic Minorities Within the State
Human Rights in War
Auschwitz
Human Rights on Either Side of the Atlantic
Summary
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Translator's Note
Index

"[An] extraordinarily clear and simple account of what human rights are and why they are so important...
Each chapter begins with a little story having human rights implications, and around that story Fleiner weaves his arguments....
In an age when human rights are on the top of the global agenda,... this excellent book written in simple prose-style appears as a 'Bible' of human rights.
Considering its overarching educative value, this can be recommended for almost everybody: police officials, judges, presidents and ministers, political leaders, professionals, school administrators and teachers as well as school students, housewives and so on. This must find a place in any educational curriculum."

-- The West Bengal Political Science Review, Vol 3(1), January-June 2000