An innovative framework for advancing human rights Human rights are among our most pressing issues today, yet rights promoters have reached an impasse in their effort to achieve rights for all. Human Rights for Pragmatists explains activists prioritize universal legal and moral norms, backed by the public shaming of violators, but in fact rights prevail only when they serve the interests of powerful local constituencies. Jack Snyder demonstrates that where local power and politics lead, rights follow. He presents an innovative roadmap for addressing a broad agenda of human rights impunity for atrocities, dilemmas of free speech in the age of social media, entrenched abuses of women’s rights, and more. Exploring the historical development of human rights around the globe, Snyder shows that liberal rights–based states have experienced a competitive edge over authoritarian regimes in the modern era. He focuses on the role of power, the interests of individuals and the groups they form, and the dynamics of bargaining and coalitions among those groups. The path to human rights entails transitioning from a social order grounded in patronage and favoritism to one dedicated to equal treatment under impersonal rules. Rights flourish when they benefit dominant local actors with the clout to persuade ambivalent peers. Activists, policymakers, and others attempting to advance rights should embrace a tailored strategy, one that acknowledges local power structures and cultural practices. Constructively turning the mainstream framework of human rights advocacy on its head, Human Rights for Pragmatists offers tangible steps that all advocates can take to move the rights project forward. Table of contents Preface and acknowledgments 1. Power leads, rights follow 2. Power and rights in the modern state 3. Building blocks and sequences 4. Crossing the political threshold 5. Crossing the economic threshold in China 6. Aligning with mass movements, reform parties and religion 7. Regulating the marketplace of ideas, with Tamar Mitts 8. Backlash against human rights shaming 9. Entrenched abuses of women and children 10. Human rights at a time of global stalemate Notes Index