Multinational Corporations and Human Rights: Does “Private” Political Authority Imply Public Liability?

Globalization has rendered the distinction between public and private actors ambiguous, raising the possibility of Multinational Corporations liability for human rights violations under international law. Non-Governmental Organizations and MNCs exercise private political authority, they function as autonomous actors in international politics. If political authority implies public responsibility, how should MNCs be held responsible for complicity in human rights violations in international law: how can corporate complicity be defined; behavior monitored; and violations judged? Three possibilities are suggested: a code of conduct; a treaty agreeing on standards; and an international institution with regulatory authority.