While Eleanor Roosevelt is most frequently celebrated as the First Lady of the World, she is arguably the primary architect of the United Nations’ moral and ethical identity. In our book, Conflict: Recognizing Human Dignity as a Solution to Humanity’s Greatest Challenges, we explore how she moved the UN beyond being a mere political alliance and into a vehicle for the global Ideological Development of human rights.[1]
The Architect of a Global Moral Order
As the chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights, Eleanor Roosevelt was the driving force behind the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. This document was the ultimate global effort to break the Cycle of Conflict by establishing a foundational reason for respecting our neighbors that transcended borders, religions, and political systems.[2]
In the framework of our book, the UDHR represents the formal recognition of the innate characteristics—intellect, free will, and moral virtues—that we argue define the absolute value of the human person. Eleanor famously noted that universal human rights begin in “small places, close to home,” emphasizing that the preservation of dignity is not just a state responsibility but an exercise of independent agency for every citizen.
Navigating Global Power Dynamics
Her role as an architect required her to navigate intense Political Power Dynamics during the early Cold War. She utilized her rational capacity for problem-solving to bring together delegates from vastly different cultures. She understood that while fixed viewpoints often lead to friction, healthy conflict can lead to innovation if the participants share a baseline respect for the intrinsic worth of the human person.
The Responsible Use of Freedom
Eleanor Roosevelt expanded the vision of dignity to address all forms of degradation—poverty, discrimination, and tyranny—on a global scale. She believed that when information is clear and the needs of all parties are recognized, humanity has a natural tendency toward cooperation rather than the Law of Force.
By championing the rights of the marginalized, she moved the needle of history away from tribalism and toward a unified understanding of rights. Her legacy is a reminder that the pursuit of flourishing requires a constant, active defense of our unique intellectual and moral capacities.
This article is part of our Historical Figures series on the History of Human Dignity.
University Research & Sources
- George Washington University. “Eleanor Roosevelt and the UDHR.” gwu.edu. ↩
- University of Minnesota. “A Short History of the UDHR.” umn.edu. ↩
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