02 Oct History of human rights
Since the origin of humanity and due to the very nature of human beings. We have the need to impose rules for better coexistence. Likewise, according to some writers, he has hierarchical needs and finds in human rights a way to guarantee the integral development of him as a person. Of course, human rights did not come out anywhere but have been built. And have gone through stages that we will analyze below.
In the Ancient Ages
To know the evolution of human rights, it is imperative to study the history of each people, their customs, and legal systems. For example, Greek citizens enjoyed certain rights. Which were protected by the state; however, there was never a clear idea about freedom. And dignity of man as an individual. Since it was considered that men belonged to their community and this, in turn, had the absolute primacy of men.
Ethical schools were appearing in this same Greek society, opening up new perspectives on human development; Little by little, the relationship between the individual and the polis was narrowed and concepts such as dignity, happiness, and virtue were contracted. These ideas were replicated in other societies such as the Indian and the Roman.
Another example is found in Babylon when Cyrus the Great announced that all slaves could acquire their freedom and said fact is established in a vestige called the cylinder of Cyrus.
In the Middle Ages
Let us remember that the Middle Ages range from the disintegration of the Western Roman Empire in the year 476 to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. This era was characterized by feudalism, slavery, and ethnocentrism, and there were important acts such as the invention of printing, the discovery of America, the establishment of universities, the crusades, and the spread of Christianity and Islam.
At this time in Europe Christianity dominated and exponentially grew the vision that men were no longer slaves. Although they were not free either, rather they were brothers. The individual being was not free but was part of a community, although he ceased to be 100% political. We find at this time, influential philosophers. Such as Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas, who modified the concept of rights to a theological right, where the human being has unconditional, inviolable rights, opposable to any political organization.
Likewise, during the Middle Ages, a rational natural law trend was also observed. Which separates the natural from the supernatural, the ecclesiastical from the civil, and the human from the divine. Current that displaced the medieval theocentric vision and placed the human being in the center. This trend had a boom at the end of the Middle Ages and continued to this day.
In the Modern Age
The modern age begins from the fall of Constantinople by the Turks in the year 1452 to the French revolution in 1789. This age is characterized by absolute monarchies, the establishment of modern states, and territorial expansion.
At this time the human being was completely established in the center. The divinity of rights was left aside and the rise of positivism began.
As documents referring to human rights, we find at this time the constitution of Nuihilnovi. The abolition of serfdom in Zurich, the Bull Sublismis Deus of 1537, the petition of the right of 1726, the law of Habeas Corpus of 1679, the declaration of right o Bill of Rights of 1688, and the declaration of Virginia of 1776.
In the Contemporary Age
The contemporary age ranges from the French Revolution to the present. This era is characterized by the establishment of modern states, world wars, revolutions, globalization, and the industrial and technological revolution.
At this time a balance was established between natural law and legal positivism. The norms have a humanist sense, which strengthens the state but at the same time guarantees the human being an integral development.
As reference documents at this time on human rights. We find the declaration of the rights of man and citizen of 1789. The declaration of the rights of women and citizens of 1791. And the declaration of the rights of men and citizens of 1793. Among many others, each country and international organization has carried out the protection of human rights.
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