Norm Internalization of Western Powers (United States, United Kingdom, and France) Regarding Respect for Human Rights in the International Community

Abstract

The protection of humanity is considered one of the most important claims made by officials of Western powers within the international system. Over the past years, this issue has provided the grounds for unlawful interventions by the United States in various regions of the world. Nevertheless, a review of the United States’ performance in the field of international human rights, along with the complicity of France and the United Kingdom, confirms the reality that these countries themselves are among the primary violators of human rights and lack the legitimacy to comment on such matters. Therefore, these states must be held accountable before global public opinion due to their dark records. The question then arises: how can these states be normatively compelled to respect human rights standards so that order and justice are properly established within the international community? In this study, by examining normative theory and employing the method of data collection, the approach was reached that by reducing the role of nation-states—particularly the sovereign aspect—strengthening the idea of the global community, reinforcing principles and values such as order and justice, and moderating power-seeking through international organizations, it is largely possible to persuade the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France to adhere in practice to the standards of human rights.