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Human Rights and Public Opinion: From Attitudes to Action

Author

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  • Shareen Hertel

    (University of Connecticut)

  • Lyle Scruggs

    (University of Connecticut)

  • C. Patrick Heidkamp

    (Southern Connecticut State University)

Abstract

This paper investigates American public opinion supporting human rights and willingness to engage in economic behavior consistent with such support. We look at three types of rights in particular: freedom of expression, freedom from torture, and the right to a guaranteed minimum standard of living. The current literature on human rights largely ignores public opinion, and vice versa. Based on our analysis of a 2006 national survey, we find that more Americans believe in a broader range of human rights (including economic rights) than has previously been assumed. We also find that most Americans report that they are willing to spend more on goods produced ethically and that those who are supportive of human rights may be more willing to pay for such goods. Our findings have implications for theories and practice of human rights, and for development of new markets for ethical consumption.

Suggested Citation

  • Shareen Hertel & Lyle Scruggs & C. Patrick Heidkamp, 2007. "Human Rights and Public Opinion: From Attitudes to Action," Economic Rights Working Papers 3, University of Connecticut, Human Rights Institute, revised Apr 2008.
    • Handle: RePEc:uct:ecriwp:3
    Note: The authors gratefully acknowledge the research support of Rachel Jackson and the assistance of staff of the University of Connecticut Center for Survey Research and Analysis as well as the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. We have also benefited from the comments on earlier drafts of this article from members of the University of Connecticut Economic Rights Reading Group/Human Rights Institute, and from Dawn Brancati and Davita Glasberg.
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kimberly Ann Elliott & Richard B. Freeman, 2004. "White Hats or Don Quixotes? Human Rights Vigilantes in the Global Economy," NBER Chapters, in: Emerging Labor Market Institutions for the Twenty-First Century, pages 47-97, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Matthew Carlson & Ola Listhaug, 2007. "Citizens' Perceptions of Human Rights Practices: An Analysis of 55 Countries," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 44(4), pages 465-483, July.
    3. Loureiro, Maria L. & Lotade, Justus, 2005. "Do fair trade and eco-labels in coffee wake up the consumer conscience?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 129-138, April.
    4. Margaret Levi & April Linton, 2003. "Fair Trade: A Cup at a Time?," Politics & Society, , vol. 31(3), pages 407-432, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hernandez-Aguilera, Juan N. & Gómez, Miguel I. & Rodewald, Amanda D. & Rueda, Ximena & Anunu, Colleen & Bennett, Ruth & Schindelbeck, Robert R. & van Es, Harold M., 2015. "Impacts of smallholder participation in high-quality coffee markets: The Relationship Coffee Model," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 205650, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Gulnaz Anjum & Adam Chilton & Zahid Usman, 2021. "United Nations endorsement and support for human rights: An experiment on women’s rights in Pakistan," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 58(3), pages 462-478, May.
    3. Veronika A. Andorfer & Ulf Liebe, 2014. "Do Information, Price, or Morals Influence Ethical Consumption? A Natural Field Experiment and Customer Survey on the Purchase of Fair Trade Coffee," University of Bern Social Sciences Working Papers 6, University of Bern, Department of Social Sciences.
    4. Veronika Andorfer & Ulf Liebe, 2012. "Research on Fair Trade Consumption—A Review," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 106(4), pages 415-435, April.
    5. Rashid, Md Sanuwar & Byun, Sang-Eun, 2018. "Are consumers willing to go the extra mile for fair trade products made in a developing country? A comparison with made in USA products at different prices," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 201-210.
    6. Wang, Xiaojin, 2016. "Is Fair Trade Fair for Consumers? A Hedonic Analysis of U.S. Retail Fair Trade Coffee Prices," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 236344, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. Hindsley, Paul & McEvoy, David M. & Morgan, O. Ashton, 2020. "Consumer Demand for Ethical Products and the Role of Cultural Worldviews: The Case of Direct-Trade Coffee," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    8. Volker Lingnau & Florian Fuchs & Florian Beham, 2019. "The impact of sustainability in coffee production on consumers’ willingness to pay–new evidence from the field of ethical consumption," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 65-93, April.
    9. Durevall, Dick, 2015. "Are Fairtrade Prices Fair? An Analysis of the Distribution of Returns in the Swedish Coffee Market," Working Papers in Economics 615, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics, revised Sep 2017.
    10. J Nicolas Hernandez‐Aguilera & Miguel I Gómez & Amanda D Rodewald & Ximena Rueda & Colleen Anunu & Ruth Bennett & Harold M van Es, 2018. "Quality as a Driver of Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains: The Case of the Relationship Coffee Model," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(2), pages 179-198, February.
    11. Raluca Dragusanu & Daniele Giovannucci & Nathan Nunn, 2014. "The Economics of Fair Trade," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 28(3), pages 217-236, Summer.
    12. Fernández Jardón, Carlos Mª, 2018. "Motivaciones de compra en consumidores de productos de comercio justo/Motivations of Purchase in Consumers of Fair Trade Products," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 36, pages 579-602, Mayo.
    13. Dick Durevall, 2020. "Fairtrade and Market Efficiency: Fairtrade-Labeled Coffee in the Swedish Coffee Market," Economies, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-17, April.
    14. Makiko Nakano, 2019. "Evaluation of Corporate Social Responsibility by Consumers: Use of Organic Material and Long Working Hours of Employees," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-16, September.
    15. Panico, Teresa & Verneau, Fabio & Capone, Vincenza & La Barbera, Francesco & Del Giudice, Teresa, 2017. "Antecedents of Intention and Behavior Towards Fair Trade Products: A Study on Values and Attitudes in Italy," International Journal on Food System Dynamics, International Center for Management, Communication, and Research, vol. 8(2), March.
    16. Hellwig, Robert & Atasoy, Ayse Tugba & Madlener, Reinhard, 2020. "The Impact of Social Preferences and Information on the Willingness to Pay for Fairtrade Products," FCN Working Papers 6/2020, E.ON Energy Research Center, Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN).
    17. María D. Bovea & Valeria Ibáñez-Forés & Victoria Pérez-Belis & Pablo Juan & Marta Braulio-Gonzalo & Carlos Díaz-Ávalos, 2018. "Incorporation of Circular Aspects into Product Design and Labelling: Consumer Preferences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-17, July.
    18. Tully, Stephanie M. & Winer, Russell S., 2014. "The Role of the Beneficiary in Willingness to Pay for Socially Responsible Products: A Meta-analysis," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 90(2), pages 255-274.

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    Keywords

    : human rights; public opinion; sweatshops; fair trade;
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