The Civil Code of 1804 laid out a codified and accessible legal system which significantly reformed French law. It embraced the principles of French Revolution, including the equality before the law and individuals' rights, prohibited ex post facto laws, upheld civil liberties, and endorsed secularism.
The Civil Code of 1804, also known as the Napoleonic Code, was a comprehensive set of laws adopted by the French that served as a model for many subsequent legal codes worldwide. The code reformed the French legal system according to the principles of the French Revolution.
Here are five features of the Civil Code of 1804:
- The Code established a clear, written, and accessible law. It replaced the previous system of local customs with a unified legal code.
- The Code upheld some of the liberal ideals of the French Revolution. It stressed the principles of equality before the law and the rights of the individual.
- The Code guaranteed the civil liberties such as the freedom of religion, of speech, of assembly.
- The Code prohibited ex post facto laws, a type of law that retroactively changes the legal consequences of actions committed before the enactment of the law.
- And finally, the Code promoted secularism in public spaces and public services.
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