Rights and freedoms.

Rights often involve freedoms- Both are included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and are vital for democracy. 

1) Freedom of speech and opinion

This means you have the right to think and speak your views and ideas openly. Without freedom of speech, we couldn't have political debates or a democratic system of government.

2) Freedom of association

This means you have the right to get together with who you like, to do what you want (unless it's illegal.) It has many applications, from allowing people to chat to who they like down the pub, to allowing them to hold peaceful protests and form political parties- which is vital in democracy. 

Being able to join a trade union is an important part of freedom of association. Trade unions try to improve conditions of employment for their members- groups of people who have a better chance of bringing about change than individuals. However the right to join trade…