Abstract: Derived from the natural right, the rights of the poor are referred to the rights of living, equality, and resistance of the poor people. In the historical context of Western Europe, the conception of the rights of the poor originated first from the Christian doctrine and the Germanic customary law. Through the continuous interpretation of the medieval canonist, eventually, the theory of the rights of the poor came into being. The Medieval rights of poor theory contributed to the formation of modern Western theory of rights. Studies about the rights of the poor theory may help to look into the continuity and inherent logic of the Western European historical development.

Published on The Journal of Ancient Civilizations, Issue 4, 2019.