Public vs private (4)

"Fourth, societies around the world want to ensure that everybody has an adequate level of access to key goods and services (health care, education, safe drinking water) as a matter of right and justice. Goods that should be available to everybody because of their vital importance to human well-being are called merit goods. The rights to these merit goods are not only an informal commitment of the world's governments, they are also enshrined in international law, most importantly in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as follows:

• Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
• Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.

Moreover, according to Article 28 of the Universal Declaration, «Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.» A follow-through on the Millennium Development Goals would mark a major practical application of that article."

When I read these articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I am amazed on how little they are actually applied even in the rich countries, especially the United States! If you don't have a work, you don't have a health insurance and therefore adequate medical care. One time I was at the hospital in Honolulu, I saw a cartoon on the front desk, where an old poor guy that looked very sick was arriving in a hospital, the receptionist was asking him if he had a health insurance, the guy was replying «no», and the receptionist was pointing to the door while telling him «the exit is this way». I was litterally shocked! You don't have equal access to higher education neither, since the selection is made on money, not on merit!
The situation is less bleak in France, and Europe in general, but I don't think we are heading in the good direction with the new government's reforms...