When we say someone has a right to something like life, liberty, property, free speech, the pursuit of happiness, and so on, what does “having a right” mean?

I grew up thinking the phrase implied something about the person or reality. On the contrary, as best I can tell, it says something about government. I can talk without the “right” to speak. Having the right means that if someone tries to stop me, agents from the government will prevent them from stopping me. Well, it depends where you are and how the place defines free speech. I guess in the US having the right means that agents of the government will not prevent you, and if they do try to prevent you, other agents from the government will stop them if before the fact or try to recompense you if after.

I don’t mean to bog down in the details. The point is that someone having a right to do something means people with certain roles in the government will prevent others from stopping you. To have a right to health care means that the government will create a system and pay for it.

When people say “Everyone should have a right to…”, they’re saying government should be obliged to do something.

I don’t think most people get what rights mean. Maybe I am missing something too. If so, I welcome corrections or criticism.

In a near-future post: What does it mean “to own” something?

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