Special rights is a term originally used by conservatives and libertarians to refer to laws granting rights to one or more groups that are not extended to other groups.[1] Ideas of special rights are controversial, as they clash with the principle of equality before the law.
Potential examples of special rights include affirmative action policies or hate crime legislation with regard to ethnic, religious or sexual minorities or state recognition of marriage as a group with different taxation from those who are not married.[citation needed] However, the term has often been extended to include some policies that are only seeking simple equality, such as LGBT rights, and some other civil rights movements.
Concepts of special rights are closely aligned with notions of group rights and identity politics.[citation needed]
- ^ Mack, Eric (2008). "Individual rights". In Hamowy, Ronald (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, Cato Institute. pp. 245–47. doi:10.4135/9781412965811.n150. ISBN 978-1-4129-6580-4. LCCN 2008009151. OCLC 750831024.