Paper short abstract:

Conceptual analysis reveals both that certain concepts of human dignity at work in development entail false and dangerous notions, and that human development is fundamentally the recognition of human dignity properly understood as the inalienable, equal, and inherent value of all human beings.

Paper long abstract:

I argue that authentic human development is fundamentally a recognition of our universal human dignity. I offer a conceptual analysis of some of the significantly different ways “human dignity” is commonly used. Many uses entail a value that is contingent upon some status, performance, attitude, or moral state. I argue that such concepts and their corollaries within development work, i.e., that development efforts can bring, enhance, restore, or provide dignity are dangerous for human development.

We must reject the idea that human dignity emerges as a consequence of development efforts. This idea is not simply false, it is dangerous. It opens the door to perilous ideas. For example, the idea that those who are suffering various forms of capability deprivation due to oppression, structural injustice, war, displacement, or other tragedy, are also suffering a loss of dignity, that is that they are no longer inherently valuable. Or the idea that some people are more valuable than others. Or, perhaps even worse, the idea that some human beings have value and others have none.

Human dignity must be understood as the inherent, inalienable, and equal human dignity of all human beings. It follows from this understanding that dignity is not something we earn or facilitate for ourselves or others, as many use the phrase human dignity suggest. Instead, dignity is an inherent value that all human beings already have and have equally. The work we do in international development is not providing, granting, or enhancing human dignity. We do not have this power. We cannot provide what is already there.

Yet, development work is critically important to human dignity. We must work to ensure the recognition of human dignity. Too often individuals as well as our formal and informal institutions fall short of recognizing human dignity. When people are not allowed access to nutrition, education, medical attention, housing, security, employment, political participation, or other valuable institutions, because of their sex, gender, race, caste, age, or faith, they still have inherent value, but that value is going unrecognized. Thus, human development can be appropriately understood as recognizing, and facilitating the recognition of, human dignity.

The presentation concludes with suggestions of how we might identify and enact more and less robust recognitions of human dignity and what follows from doing so. I suggest Nussbaum’s list of central capabilities offers one way to institutionalize the recognition of human dignity.