1) Slavery
The most striking example of moral progress is the abolition of slavery which was seen as justifiable in the old ages as well as recent as 150 years ago. Slavery can broadly be described as the ownership, buying and selling of human beings for the purpose of forced and unpaid labor. The slave-owner treats the slaves as the means to achieve the slave-owner’s ends, not as an end in themselves which goes against the Kantian views. Slavery is both the result and the fuel of racism, in that many cultures show clear racism in their choice of people to enslave. Throughout the 17th century, European settlers in North America turned to African slaves as a cheaper, more plentiful labor source than indentured servants, who were mostly poor Europeans. After the American Revolution, many colonists, particularly in the North, where slavery was not as important to the agricultural economy, began to link the oppression of black slaves to their own oppression by the British, and to call for slavery’s abolition.
While many abolitionists based their activism on the belief that slaveholding was a sin, others were more inclined to the non-religious “free-labor” argument, which held that slaveholding was regressive. The people of the south argued that moral judgements are a matter of preference therefore agreeing with subjective relativism. A major ethical concept that led to the abolition of slavery was the notion — revolutionary for the time — that slaves were not property like cattle, but people. For centuries, many nonwhite peoples were viewed as inhuman and born to be slaves, not fit for equal treatment. Abolitionists vigorously argued that slaves were individual people who were capable of love, joy, pain, thoughts and desires for other than bonded labor. The concept of universal human rights, now widespread, was unheard of. Once non-slaves saw those enslaved as human beings like themselves, things started to change. Almost a century later, resistance to the lingering racism and discrimination in America that began during the slavery era would lead to the civil rights movement of the 1960s, which would achieve the greatest political and social gains for blacks since the introduction of the 13th amendment.
2) Women rights
Cultural Relativism is used by women’s rights violators excusing their actions as acceptable cultural norms which is an indicator in itself of discrimination that allows “culture” to be defined by those largely responsible for violations. These violators are using culture as a scapegoat instead of correcting their actions. A thousand years ago women were property of their husbands, if they didn’t have a husband, they were property of either their brothers or fathers or the closest male relative. They weren’t seen as their own person with wants and desires to be anything other than subservient to men. Male figures of the family also married off the women against their wishes in exchange for lands or other amenities which they used to further their own interests. Women were handed off as one man’s property to another man as now his property. Women weren’t allowed to own their own lands; the lands were in their husband’s name or in the closest male relative’s name. Women couldn’t travel by themselves in fear of getting kidnapped or getting rxxed, they were to be accompanied by a male relative at all times. They weren’t allowed to vote, to select who would rule them and make decisions that would directly impact them. That right was given to them by the 19th amendment in the United States. Nowadays, women can go around the world by themselves and live by themselves, no sort of guardianship is required. They can marry who they want, even the same gender in most states and some countries. Women can now own their own lands, start businesses and are now able to put anything in their own names.
3) LGBT rights
Over the past two decades, there has been a dramatic increase in public acceptance of homosexuality, as well as same-sex marriage. Laws prohibiting homosexual activity have been struck down; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals are now allowed to serve openly in the military; and same-sex couples can now legally get married and adopt children in all 50 states. From marriage equality victories to the U.S. Senate vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to the dramatic rise in public opinion, LGBT rights has made extraordinary gains in the fight for equality.
But it’s been a long and bumpy road for LGBT rights proponents, who are still advocating for employment and housing rights. The LGBT community in the 21st century is still fighting for rights. In 2015, nearly one in five hate crimes committed in the US was due to sexual orientation, and another 2% of crimes were committed because of gender identity. Hate crimes against LGBT individuals are still shockingly widespread across the country. In a vast majority of states, kids can still be sent to so-called “gay conversion therapy,” a harmful practice that the American Psychological Association has condemned. In most states, gay and trans individuals can be fired from their job on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. That means that regardless of job performance or ability, a person can lose their job if their boss finds out about and disagrees with their identity. Outside of the US legal system, LGBT Americans still face discrimination, fear, and hate that results in physical, mental, and emotional harm. Natural law theorists and traditionalists argue that homosexuality gets in the way of procreation therefore they are against it. Most religions disagree with the idea of homosexuality simply because it isn’t natural or that’s not how it should be. Contrary to natural law theory, knowing how nature is tells us nothing about how we ought to be. America has come a long way in protecting the rights of gay, bisexual, and trans citizens, but there’s still a lot of work that has to be done.
4) Equality of races
Throughout history, people of different races have faced discrimination, prejudice, and violence. However, there have been significant moral advances in the fight for racial equality over the years.
In ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome, slavery was a common practice, and people of different races were often enslaved. It was not until the 19th century that the abolitionist movement gained traction and ultimately succeeded in ending slavery in many parts of the world. In the United States, the Civil War was fought in part over the issue of slavery, and the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery in 1865.
However, the end of slavery did not mean the end of racial discrimination. In the United States, for example, Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans well into the 20th century. It was not until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s that significant progress was made towards racial equality.
The Civil Rights Movement was a grassroots social and political movement that aimed to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans. Led by figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X, the movement used tactics such as civil disobedience, nonviolent protest, and legal challenges to achieve its goals. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were landmark pieces of legislation that outlawed racial discrimination in public accommodations, employment, and voting.
Since the Civil Rights Movement, there have been further advances in the fight for racial equality. Affirmative action policies have been implemented to promote diversity and equal opportunity, and hate crime laws have been enacted to punish acts of racial violence and intimidation. However, racial discrimination and inequality still exist in many parts of the world, and there is much work to be done to achieve true racial equality.
In conclusion, the fight for racial equality has been a long and difficult one, but significant moral progress has been made over the years. From the end of slavery to the Civil Rights Movement to the present day, people of different races have worked together to challenge and overcome discrimination and inequality. While there is still much work to be done, the progress that has been made serves as a testament to the power of human determination and resilience in the face of adversity.
5) Children’s Rights
Our textile factory system has been said to have started with the nineteenth century, and the profits were at first so large and so dependent on the supply of labor that the mill-owners hired children from the slums of the large cities by hundreds or even thousands. These children, from the age of five or six upwards, were taken as trainees for seven years, but in reality they really were the slaves of the manufacturers, whose managers made them work from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., or sometimes longer. Also, in order to keep them awake in the claustrophobic atmosphere of the factories it was found necessary to whip them at frequent intervals. It was not until 1819 that the age of children employed in the factories was raised to nine years, while in 1825 the working hours were limited to seventy-two a week. From that time on, during the whole nineteenth century, there was a wave of new regulations aimed at abolishing the worst results of child labor, its inhumanity, its cruelty, and its immorality.
6) Disability rights
Throughout history, people with disabilities have faced discrimination, stigma, and marginalization. However, there have been significant moral advances in the treatment of people with disabilities over the years.
In ancient Greece and Rome, people with disabilities were often viewed as cursed by the gods or punished for their sins. They were often excluded from public life and considered to be a burden on their families. However, there were some exceptions to this trend. For example, the Greek philosopher Aristotle believed that people with disabilities should be treated with kindness and compassion, and he argued that society should provide them with special care and education.
During the Middle Ages, people with disabilities were often seen as possessed by demons or witches. They were sometimes subjected to exorcisms or other forms of religious persecution. However, there were also some positive developments during this period. For example, some religious orders founded hospitals and other institutions to care for people with disabilities.
In the 19th century, there were significant moral advances in the treatment of people with disabilities. The first school for the deaf was founded in Paris in 1760, and the first school for the blind was founded in Vienna in 1804. In the United States, the Perkins School for the Blind was founded in 1829, and the American School for the Deaf was founded in 1817. These institutions provided specialized education and support for people with disabilities, and they helped to change public attitudes towards disability.
In the 20th century, there were further advances in disability rights. The first World War led to an increase in the number of people with disabilities, and this in turn led to a greater awareness of their needs. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 were landmark pieces of legislation that provided legal protections for people with disabilities in the United States. These laws required public buildings and facilities to be accessible, and they prohibited discrimination on the basis of disability.
Today, people with disabilities continue to face many challenges, but there is no doubt that significant moral progress has been made in the treatment of this population throughout history. We have come a long way from the days when people with disabilities were seen as cursed or possessed, and we now recognize their right to equal treatment and access to resources. There is still much work to be done to ensure that people with disabilities are fully included in society, but we can take inspiration from the progress that has already been made.
7) Justice
We know that it really is better to live in a world where it is not regarded as a form of public entertainment to nail a man naked to a cross and watch him gasp out his last breaths for a couple of days, covered in his own excrement, caked in his own blood, and surrounded by buzzing flies and jeering spectators. We know that covering a man with honey and staking him to an anthill is cruel and unusual punishment.
8) Value of human life
War is much less common and involves a much smaller proportion of world population. Electricity, running water, underground sewage systems, vaccinations, and compulsory schooling (and a hard-labor-free daily life) for children are expected in the developed world and are universally aspired to in the developing world. Life expectancy was under 30 years old 1000 years ago, and 40% of children never even made it to adult. We have extended life expectancy to over 80 years in some countries, and we have done this, obviously, because as a society we put great value on human life. We have laws to prevent children from work and educate everyone. We have police forces to protect everyone not just the elite and the wealthy. A Thousand years ago military forces were allowed to rxxe and plunder, it was considered a reward for their bravery after a victory. Murder rates are a tiny fraction of what they were a thousand years ago and less than they were a hundred years ago and they are still falling. Just a hundred years ago it was considered socially acceptable to hang a child until dead just for stealing or cut off the child’s hand or fingers. A thousand years ago you could kill a person and in return pay a fee and be resigned of any punishment.
9) Tolerance
People were executed for their religious beliefs
A thousand years ago, had you lived anywhere on Earth if you were not a part of the majority religion, you were subject to special taxes by whatever group ruled your country or region, and were generally subjected to being killed / raided / burned as a scapegoat when the ruler needed to vent anger. In many places, your skin color or language could get you the same treatment. This still happens in many places all over the world but is no longer the norm. You instead are typically only faced with considerably more subtle social disapproval and maybe exploitation. In the medieval times if you did something that the Church did not like, you could be brought up on bogus charges, given a mock trial, and sentenced to death in a very gruesome manner, without any justice being actually served.
10) Conclusion
In conclusion, moral progress has been an ongoing journey throughout human history. From the abolition of slavery to the recognition of women’s rights to the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, individuals and groups have worked tirelessly to challenge unjust systems and advocate for social justice. While progress has not always been easy or straightforward, the dedication and persistence of those committed to the cause has resulted in significant advancements in human rights and dignity.
However, there is still much work to be done. Even as we celebrate the accomplishments of the past, we must recognize the continued existence of injustice and discrimination in our world today. It is up to each and every one of us to continue the fight for a more just and equitable society, and to never forget that the struggle for moral progress is ongoing.
In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” We must continue to work towards that bend in the arc, to build a world where everyone is treated with dignity, respect, and equality. By standing up against injustice and championing moral progress, we can create a better world for ourselves and future generations.