Economics against the Human Right to Work,

Abstract

The right to work has been debated since the French Revolution and was solemnly proclaimed in 1966 by the UN general assembly along with other economic rights. Despite its legal weight, economics does not seem to take them as anything more than legal ornaments; therefore, the purpose of this article is to make economics take economic rights seriously. First of all the genesis of the right to work will be discussed and some arguments that have sustained its inscription as a human right will be presented. Secondly, it will be argued that the logic of mainstream economics contradicts the assertion of the right to work. Finally we will come to the conclusion that the majority of current employment policies cannot qualify to full right-to-work securing policies.