In this chapter, I argue that as international affairs focus on a balance of ideologies and the battle for social supremacy, the structure of human associations is determined, to a great extent, by shared ideas rather than material forces. For example, struggles over human rights pose opportunities and threats to political stability, economic development, and international peace. Human rights ideals, in other words, can play an important role in shaping social reality.

This argument has policy relevance and practical implications for human rights organizations and practitioners. As discussed in the introduction to this book, international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) often face ethical challenges that constrain their efforts to do good in foreign lands, and they need to choose ways that allow them to promote human rights most effectively. This chapter focuses on the dilemma of whether to collaborate with governments who are themselves responsible for human rights violations. It begins with an examination of current INGO activities and dilemmas in China and explores China's counterarguments on human rights to identify forces that shape the complex relationship between China and INGOs. China has been engaging in the international debate on human rights and has adopted tactical adjustments by signing some important international documents on human rights. What are the implications for INGOs in their future work in China? And what, in a more general sense, should be done in making a fundamental change to China's basic values and the foreign policies of Western countries?