First time Quote by Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly
““it was not until 1937 that Justice Curdozo of the US Supreme Court formulated for the first time the concept of fundamental rights as a doctrine in Palko v. Connecticut and held that some rights are fundamental as they ‘represent the very essence of a scheme of ordered liberty… principles of justice so rooted in the traditions and conscience of our people as to be marked as fundamental’.””
About This Quote
Source Case: Palko v. Connecticut, 1937, US Supreme Court decision
The Court defined fundamental rights as those essential to the structure of liberty and justice, rooted in tradition and collective conscience.
In simple terms: Fundamental rights are core to liberty and justice.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and protect core liberties.
Themes
law
rights
justice
tradition
conscience
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
legal
historical
When to use this quote
- legal education
- policy making
- civil rights advocacy
- court arguments
Key Concepts
constitutional law
judicial doctrine
civil liberties
Questions to Reflect On
- Which rights should be considered fundamental today?
- How do societal values shape this definition?
A Different Perspective
The definition can be contested and varies across cultures and eras.
![“The fundamental rights of [humanity] are, first: the right of habitation; second, the right to move freely; third, the right to the soil and subsoil, and to the use of it; fourth, the right of freedom of labor and of exchange; fifth, the right to justice; sixth, the right to live within a natural…” quote by Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4fc/albert-schweitzer-701_fifth_the-fundamental-rights-of-humanity-are-f_2883591.jpg)
