From Cold War to Trade War: Neocolonialism and Human Rights

A historical overview of the birth of the international human rights movement reveals that representatives from Western nations dominated the UN Human Rights Commission until the early 1970s; however, the increased membership of Third World nations during the 1970s & 1980s refocused discourse around trade issues. It is contended that the conclusion of the Cold War, rapid economic development of East & Southeast Asian nations, & significance of multilateral trade organizations have contributed to the surfacing of human rights issues on an international level during the 1990s. The growing importance of nongovernmental organizations & the international media in the universal human rights movement is discussed. Implications of the cultural relativism/universalism debate regarding human rights for Asian nations & women are considered. Although war has strengthened the call for international human rights, it is concluded that liberal capitalism & nationalism hinder the global human rights movement. J. W. Parker