France overrides a 17th-century slave law
The Act signed by Louis XIV in 1685, known as the Black Code, equated slaves with real estate. Slavery was abolished in 1848, but the Black Code has not been repealed to this day. It is believed that the French colonial system made it possible for 1.5 to 2 million people to be slaves.
French National Assembly, in a stock photo.
Yesterdaythe French National Assembly unanimouslyrepealedtheslave law . The law, signed in 1685 by Louis XIV, regulated slavery in the French colonies, and regardedthe slaves as real estate .
In France,slavery was abolished in 1848, but the Black Code was still in force, as it was never formally annulled. The National Assembly has repealed the law itself and all the texts developed for its implementation at its session on Thursday.
"Contrary to what people think, slavery was completely abolished in 1848, but with the Black Code this did not happen; it remained, so to speak, in the shadow of our legal system," denounced Maz Mathiasin, a member of the independent Liot party and promoter of the repeal.
In the opinion of the Member, in addition to the repeal, 'a broader exercise of memory must be carried out in order to recognise all the consequences of slavery. There's a lot of repair work to be done that goes beyond today. "
Violence against slaves was permitted, as was the death penalty.
The Black Code regarded slaves as immovable property, and, like other estates, they could be bought and sold. The law authorized the use of violence against them, the imposition of punishments and the death penalty in cases of disobedience and attempted escape.
According to experts, the Black Code and the French colonial system madeitpossible for 1.5-2 million people to be slaves.
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