HISTORIA DEL DERECHO

Abstract

El Derecho es una creación histórica y cultural. Su significado, como el de todas las actividades humanas, varía de acuerdo con la época y el lugar, conformado por el conjunto de reglas y normas de conducta establecidas o sancionadas por el Estado. Este conjunto de preceptos es de cumplimiento obligatorio para todas las personas que viven en un determinado Estado, el cual, como expresión de un orden social institucionalizado, tiene el monopolio de la fuerza, para utilizarla a fin de provocar la conducta esperada por parte de los habitantes, de manera tal que no podemos concebir la existencia del Derecho fuera del Estado. En el Capítulo, realizamos un recorrido, describiendo la Historia del Derecho, partiendo desde sus inicios en Roma hasta llegar a su consolidación en Colombia, en cada una de las esferas de conocimiento: civil, penal, público, laboral y derechos humanos. La metodología utilizada fue la apropiación conceptual de fuentes secundarias, como la doctrina a través de un viaje en el tiempo con diversos autores, con el interés de resaltar la manifestación concreta y práctica de la norma jurídica. Si para los antiguos no era delito el hacer sacrificios humanos, se debía a que Derecho, Religión y Moral iban de la mano: los dioses no podían condenar un acto ejecutado en su propia honra. Pero no en vano pasan los años. Como lo expreso Confucio “un pueblo que no conoce su historia está condenado a repetirla”, concluyendo que, definitivamente, el Derecho no puede apartarse del contexto histórico, aprendiendo de lo vivido para lograr vivir en paz.

Law is a historical and cultural creation. Its meaning, like that of all human activities, varies according to the time and place, conformed by the set of rules and norms of conduct established or sanctioned by the State. This set of precepts is mandatory for all people living in a certain State, which, as an expression of an institutionalized social order, has the monopoly of force, to use it in order to provoke the expected behavior on the part of the inhabitants, in such a way that we can not conceive the existence of Law outside the State. In the Chapter, we made a journey, describing the History of Law, starting from its beginnings in Rome until reaching its consolidation in Colombia, in each of the spheres of knowledge: civil, criminal, public, labor and human rights. The methodology used was the conceptual appropriation of secondary sources, such as the doctrine through a journey in time with various authors, with the interest of highlighting the concrete and practical manifestation of the legal norm. If for the ancients it was not a crime to make human sacrifices, it was because Law, Religion and Morals went hand in hand: the gods could not condemn an act executed in their own honor. But not in vain do the years pass. As Confucius expressed it, “a people that does not know their history is condemned to repeat it”, concluding that, definitively, Law can not depart from the historical context, learning from the lived experience in order to live in peace.

Law is a historical and cultural creation. Its meaning, like that of all human activities, varies according to the time and place, conformed by the set of rules and norms of conduct established or sanctioned by the State. This set of precepts is mandatory for all people living in a certain State, which, as an expression of an institutionalized social order, has the monopoly of force, to use it in order to provoke the expected behavior on the part of the inhabitants, in such a way that we can not conceive the existence of Law outside the State. In the Chapter, we made a journey, describing the History of Law, starting from its beginnings in Rome until reaching its consolidation in Colombia, in each of the spheres of knowledge: civil, criminal, public, labor and human rights. The methodology used was the conceptual appropriation of secondary sources, such as the doctrine through a journey in time with various authors, with the interest of highlighting the concrete and practical manifestation of the legal norm. If for the ancients it was not a crime to make human sacrifices, it was because Law, Religion and Morals went hand in hand: the gods could not condemn an act executed in their own honor. But not in vain do the years pass. As Confucius expressed it, “a people that does not know their history is condemned to repeat it”, concluding that, definitively, Law can not depart from the historical context, learning from the lived experience in order to live in peace.