Security, a luke warm second take

                                                  Revisiting Security Essay

When the semester first began I argued that National Security was the most important form of security. I argued that National Security, is true security, as it provides the nation as a whole with countless benefits and protections. When true disasters strike that can truly affect the individual such as, hurricanes, or terrorist attacks the government is the body that truly helps the most in protecting the individual, providing billions of dollars in relief effort. Also, the government provides the individual through “the social contract” described by Thomas Hobbes, with protection as well as true rights and freedoms. However, as the semester has gone on I’ve been introduced to the other forms of security, and I’ve come to find that Human Security is the most important form of security. Human Security is the most important form of security because, if individuals are educated, well feed, healthy, and their basic needs accounted for then, they will be able to progress their society as a whole and improve upon their country.   

  Human security is composed of seven elements, economic security, food security, healthy security, environmental security, personal security, community security, and political security. Essentially these seven elements include everything that a human should have to live a comfortable life, food, water, shelter, protection, and a solid foundation being, a supportive community, and government. If these needs are accounted for, the person can shift their focus for the sole focus of providing for themselves and look to improve upon their country.

   An example of where a lack of human security has caused problems within a country is in Somalia where, piracy has run rampant. Since the early 2000s Somalians have been attacking merchant ships off the coast of Somalia and surrounding African nations to provide for themselves, their families, and their communities. This can be seen as a lack of human security in the branch known as “economic security”, in that because they lack any form of providing for themselves they must shift to criminal activities to earn a constant cash flow. If they had access to legitimate job opportunities they would not have to commit criminal acts. This can even be seen in the United States where those in low economic status neighborhoods must participate in criminal activities because they cannot provide for themselves and their families.

  Furthermore, human security is incredibly important, because one of the most dangerous threats that face humanity is epidemics. A lack of human security in the form of proper medical protection could be seen in how badly Ebola ravaged the African coastline. If the people’s health was a priority then thousands of lives could have been saved. 

  Also, a lack of human security can be seen in the what is affecting Eastern European Nations in the form of sex trafficking. Thousands of women are being abducting in these nations and shipped half way across the world for money. If the protection and human rights of these people were protecting they could be saved from countless horrors.

   Human Security has shown itself to be the most important form of security, because it is the true protection of the individual. Human Security accounts for the rights that should be given to each and every person, and what they need to even survive in the world.