19. When, if ever, should states intervene in the internal affairs of other states to protect human rights? Are there certain rights that are more vital than others? What are the costs and benefits for major powers of intervening in favor of human rights? It is difficult to answer these questions. Nobody wants to see human rights violations. However, the definition of what human rights are varies between countries and even between individuals. What one nation considers a human right, another may not. Then there is the dilemma of a nation's sovereignty. If another nation decides what human rights are being violated and decides that it must intervene, then will another nation determine that the intervening nation needs intervention because of its human rights violations? man ? Finally, there remains the question of the intervention itself. Levels of intervention may vary and depend on human rights violations. More serious violations require more severe interventions. The first question to answer is whether states should ever intervene in the internal affairs of other states. The simple answer is that they should. The United States is founded on principles, many of which can be traced to John Locke. In defining human rights, the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson and inspired by Locke, declares: "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among which represent life, freedom. , and the pursuit of happiness - that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men. Locke used similar wording and added a simple answer to the question of intervention. The primary responsibility of each individual is that of their own preservation ... middle of paper ... which plays a role, as Locke explained. It is the responsibility of others to preserve life, only when they are not competing for one's own. The final question is: should we intervene in all cases, including all cases of endangering lives? The answer is that it would probably be impossible to achieve. Works Cited Ministry of Defense. April 28, 2011. http://www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf (accessed April 28, 2011). Human Rights Watch. August 18, 2006. http://www.hrw.org/legacy/english/docs/2006/08/14/iraq13979.htm (accessed April 28, 2011). Locke, John. “Liberty Library of Constitutional Classics.” Constitutional society. 1690. http://constitution.org/jl/2ndtr02.htm (accessed April 28, 2011). Ramstad, Evan and Jay Solomon. Wall Street Journal Online. August 5, 2009. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124938154079404323.html (accessed April 29, 2011).