Democracy and the social right to minimum income, housing, education, andhealth care are some of the most hotly debated issues in contemporary politicalphilosophy. Interestingly, those who engage in penetrating discussions on socialrights do not usually reflect on the implications of their arguments fordemocracy. Theorists of social justice are met with equal indifference on thepart of theorists of democracy. This book stems from the perception that thereis a conflict between the demands of democracy and the demands of social rights,and the resulting recognition that the question of the relationship betweenthese two values cannot be ignored. It is thus located at the cross-roads of twoof the most important bodies of philosophical literature.Social Rights Under the Constitution argues that everybody has four basicsocial rights and that these rights should be constitutionalized. The claimabout the constitutionalization of basic human rights rest on the assumptionsthat we all have a fundamental interest in leading a minimally decent life, andthat autonomy and well-being are two privileged conditions for such a life. Thebook argues that we need material resources in order to be autonomous and toachieve well-being, and be guaranteed them in the form of social rights.

Itexamines the ways in which social rights are afforded constitutional protectionina range of countries.