Introduction *

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book is concerned with economic liberties as legal human rights. It examines the nature and justification of economic rights as international human rights law. The book explores the connection between economic rights and other rights. It argues that the realization of social rights such as the rights to education, subsistence and health care is only possible if a sizable group of people contributes to the creation of wealth that in turn allows expenditures on individual well-being. The book presents moral arguments in favor of acknowledging some economic liberties as human rights. It offers a practice-based discussion of the implementation of some economic liberties with a special focus on their potential to protect the interest of vulnerable groups.