The position of people in the slave owning and feudal societies: The first human rights?

Abstract

Reminding the reader that legal inequality is the main characteristic of the slave owning and feudal societies, the author draws attention to legal inequality not only between members of different classes, but also within the same social class, to difficult position of women, religious, ethnic and other minorities, foreigners, etc. The author underlines some other elements that are related to the position of man, and which are typical for the period of history in question. They involve great cruelty in punishment, torture as an integral part of the judicial system, collective punishment, extermination of opponents, and other inhuman treatment in war etc. However, all this does not mean that these societies did not recognize any human rights. The reality in this respect was much different than in our time, but everything else at the time was different as well. When it comes to human rights, there is much evidence that in most cases at least basic protection was guaranteed not only to the ruling classes, but also, at least to some extent, to the oppressed social classes. This is confirmed by legal documents, chronicles and other historical sources that provide ample evidence of the recognition and protection of at least basic individual rights of different classes, but also the rights of minorities, foreigners, combatants and non­combatants in war and so on. Highlighting these moments, the author refers to the sources that testify both about legal regulations and the appropriate practice. The author's conclusion is that, although in the historical period in question it certainly could not have been talked about something that would be close to the concept of human rights as we know them today, there is also no doubt that the first human rights appeared parallel with the development of law and the first states.