Sustainable Development as Social Responsibility: Amartya Sen’s Argument on the Rights of Future Generations

The concept of rights for future generations is not new in philosophy, but its connection to sustainable development and social responsibilities remains underexplored. This paper builds on Amartya Sen’s arguments, which, while not explicitly declaring sustainable development a social responsibility, implicitly support this through his discussions on society, social systems, freedom, rights, and responsibilities. I argue that a careful analysis of Sen’s works can yield a rights-based argument that frames sustainable development as a universal social responsibility. By drawing parallels between Sen’s and Breyer’s rights-based theories, this paper strengthens the claim that all generations belong to an overarching trans-generational community, similar to the narrative described by MacIntyre. This trans-generational perspective mandates sustainable development initiatives that will contribute to fulfilling our universal social responsibilities to future generations.