Natural rights are rights that people have by virtue of being human. Which statement is correct?

• A. Rights granted by the government
• B. Rights people have by virtue of being human
• C. Rights limited during wartime
• D. Rights exclusive to property ownership

Answer: (B)

Natural rights are freedoms people have simply because they are human, not because a government grants them. These rights are universal and come before laws or institutions, which is why governments exist—to recognize and protect what people inherently deserve. Think of fundamental freedoms like life and liberty; they’re considered inherent to being human and not contingent on any legal permission. That’s why the statement describing natural rights as rights people have by virtue of being human is the accurate one.

Rights granted by the government aren’t the same thing because they’re created by laws and can change with those laws. Natural rights stand apart from legal permissions or restrictions that governments can impose. The idea isn’t that rights disappear in war, but that emergency measures may justify certain limits within a legal framework; however, natural rights themselves are not defined as contingent on wartime conditions. Finally, rights aren’t limited to property ownership alone; natural rights encompass a broader set of freedoms that apply to all people, not just those who own property.