Humanity as legal and philosophical concept

The article analyzes the development of humanity through self-knowledge and gradual unification into a separate subject of social and legal relations. The processes of globalization, deepening interdependence between states, as well as global problems are affecting humanity as a whole. These processes require understanding of the philosophical basis for the further legal implementation of the concept of “humanity” as a subject of rights. Humanity can be understood from different standpoints, not only as a unity of all people, but also as the unifying quality of human society. The arguments of researchers from various fields are presented in the article, proving the idea that globalization has created a global human society, which has to be taken into consideration for future law-making. Humanity should accept the change of consciousness and culture in order to solve global problems and to prevent their recurrence. Acceleration of the information exchange, new economic and political patterns, ICT, migration, and intercultural exchange should be taken seriously to prevent future global conflicts. Besides, the absolute sovereignty is no longer feasible. The international community has the right to interfere into internal affairs through the courts pointing out the essential universal criteria for assessing events and human rights violations; the restriction of wars without UN sanctions; international development aid and monitoring missions; combating international terrorism, drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings, etc. Joint development of ideological, political and institutional principles of solving international and internal problems of statesare needed. The modern reality indicates the active phase of the process of creating a new type of social consciousness – universal consciousness, which is a sign that humanity can be viewed as a subject of social affairs, including possibility to have rights