WAEC 2017 Government · Question 43

The rights of citizens to benefit from public utility is classified as

Options

  1. A.social rights
  2. B.natural rights
  3. C.religious rights
  4. D.political rights

Answer: A. social rights

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which category of rights covers a citizen's entitlement to benefit from public utilities (e.g., water supply, electricity, roads, healthcare, public schools).

Step 2: Understand the concept Rights of citizens are classified into groups:

  • Natural rights: rights a person is born with, such as life, liberty and property. They are not given by the state.
  • Political rights: rights that let citizens take part in governance, such as voting, being voted for, forming or joining political parties, and holding public office.
  • Social rights: rights that give citizens access to the welfare and amenities that support a decent standard of living, such as education, healthcare, social security and public utilities.
  • Religious rights: the freedom to practise, change or propagate one's religion (a subset of fundamental human rights).

Step 3: Apply to the question Public utilities (water, electricity, transport, public health facilities) are amenities provided by the government for the general welfare of the people. They are not about participating in government (so not political), not about religion, and not rights inherent at birth (so not natural). They concern the social well-being of citizens, so they fall under social rights.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is A. social rights.

Tip: Link keywords to categories:

  • Vote, contest, join a party → Political
  • Life, liberty → Natural
  • Education, health, utilities, welfare → Social/Economic
  • Worship → Religious

If the benefit is something the government provides for people's living standards, think "social."

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