A Note on the Origins of Human Rights: Bartolomé de las Casas and Francisco de Vitoria

Julio Hans C. Jensen

doi:10.33112/nm.13.2.7

A Note on the Origins of Human Rights: Bartolomé de las Casas and Francisco de Vitoria

Julio Hans C. Jensen

Department of English, Germanic and Romance Studies

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Abstract

In the wake of the Spanish arrival in America, a controversy arose with respect to the legitimacy of the conquest and the colonial rule. This debate was started by the Dominicans in the New World, who denounced the oppression of the native population. The most renowned participants in these discussions were Bartolomé de las Casas and Francisco de Vitoria. The former received the title of “Defender of the Indians”, while the latter is remembered as a central figure in the foundation of international law. Through the debates concerning the conquest of America, one precondition – noted by Habermas – for the emergence of human rights is explored, that of resistance against state power on the basis of the egalitarian tradition belonging to Judeo-Christian thinking.

Original language	English
Journal	Nordicum-Mediterraneum. Icelandic E-Journal of Nordic and Mediterranean Studies
Volume	13
Issue number	2
Number of pages	22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.33112/nm.13.2.7
Publication status	Published - 3 Nov 2018

Keywords

Faculty of Humanities
Human Rights
Bartolomé de las Casas
Francisco de Vitoria
Habermas, Jürgen

Access to Document

10.33112/nm.13.2.7

A Note on the Origins of Human Rights_ Bartolomé de las Casas and Francisco de VitoriaAccepted author manuscript, 143 KB

https://nome.unak.is/wordpress/volume-13-no-2-2018/conference-proceeding-volume-13-no-2-2018/a-note-on-the-origins-of-human-rights-bartolome-de-las-casas-and-francisco-de-vitoria/Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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abstract = "In the wake of the Spanish arrival in America, a controversy arose with respect to the legitimacy of the conquest and the colonial rule. This debate was started by the Dominicans in the New World, who denounced the oppression of the native population. The most renowned participants in these discussions were Bartolom{\'e} de las Casas and Francisco de Vitoria. The former received the title of “Defender of the Indians”, while the latter is remembered as a central figure in the foundation of international law. Through the debates concerning the conquest of America, one precondition – noted by Habermas – for the emergence of human rights is explored, that of resistance against state power on the basis of the egalitarian tradition belonging to Judeo-Christian thinking.",

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