back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 7173

[from 'Writings from Late Notebooks' by Friedrich Nietzsche, in 25. Social Practice / C. Rights / 1. Basis of Rights ]

Full Idea

Rights originate only where there are contracts; but for there to be contracts, a certain balance of power must exist.

Gist of Idea

Rights arise out of contracts, which need a balance of power

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (Writings from Late Notebooks [1887], 05[82])

Book Reference

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'Writings from the Late Notebooks', ed/tr. Bittner,Rüdiger [CUP 2003], p.121


A Reaction

It is a notorious problem with contractual ethics that the weak have nothing to bargain with. Nietzsche's view would make the concept of animal rights almost incoherent, but we understand them, even if he would not have done.