Allan Kardec published the first edition of The Book of Spirits on April 18, 1857, in Paris, France. This edition, which this year will complete 166 years and determines the emergence of Spiritism on Earth, contained 501 issues. The second (and definitive) edition was published on March 16, 1860, with 1019 issues.

Taking advantage of this glorious milestone, we show the relevance of this monumental work by extracting from it the teachings of the Spirits on these two issues: slavery and the rights of men and women.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says in its article number one that all men are equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another like brothers do.

The Old Testament book of Leviticus says, "You shall proclaim liberty in the land to all its inhabitants" (25:10). In the Acts of the Apostles, in the New Testament, it reads, "Men, you are brothers: why do you offend one another?" (7:26).

In The Book of Spirits, chapter IX - Equality Law, question 803, Kardec asks the Spirits "Are all men equal before God?" The answer: "Yes, all tend to the same end and God makes His laws for all. You often say, “The sun shines for all', and with that you say a greater and more general truth than you think.

"All men are subject to the same natural laws, all are born with the same fragility, are subject to the same pains and the body of the rich is destroyed like that of the poor. God made no man different not by birth and nor by death: all are equal before Him".

 In chapter X - Law of Freedom, The Book of Spirits addresses the subject of Slavery. In question 829, the Encoder asks: "Are men naturally destined to be the property of others?" The Spirits answer: "Any absolute subjection of one man to another is contrary to the law of God. Slavery is an abuse of force and will disappear with progress, as little by little all abuses will disappear". The Book of Spirits makes it clear that slavery is a law against Nature, as it resembles man to the brute and degrades him morally and physically.

And when slavery is part of the customs of a people? The Spirits' answer is that evil is always evil and the responsibility for evil is relative to the means available to understand it. They explain that whoever makes use of the law of slavery is always guilty of violating the natural law and culpability, as in all things, is relative (The Book of Spirits, question 830).

The Spirits assure that since slavery is a custom among certain peoples, man can practice it in good faith, as something that seems natural to him. However, the moment his reason becomes more developed and above all when he is clarified by the lights of Christianity, and he is shown that the slave his equal before God, he has no more excuses.

The Encoder asks an interesting question: "There are men who treat their slaves humanely, who let them lack nothing and think that freedom would expose them to more deprivation. What to say about that?" (Question 832) The Spirits answer: "I say that they understand their interests better. They are also careful with their oxen and horses, in order to take more advantage in the market. They are not guilty like those who mistreat, but not for this stops using them as commodities, depriving them of the right to be masters of themselves".

Kardec asks: "Doesn't the natural inequality of aptitudes place certain human races under the dependence of intelligent races?" (Question 831). The Spirits answer, "Yes, to elevate them, and not to brutalize them even more in slavery. Men have considered, for a long time, certain human races as domesticated animals, equipped with arms and hands, and they considered themselves entitled to sell their members like beasts of burden. They consider themselves of purer blood. Fools, who do not see beyond matter! It is not the blood that must be more or less pure, but the Spirit".

Rights must be equal

Always guided by Allan Kardec and the Spiritist Codification, The Book of Spirits tells us in item VI - Equal rights of men and women, chapter IX, that the moral inferiority of women in certain regions comes from "unjust and cruel dominion that man exerted on her. A consequence of social institutions and the abuse of force over weakness. Among men who are not very advanced from a moral point of view, strength is right".

The Book of Spirits says that a woman is physically weaker than a man is. "Therefore, there are particular functions distributed. Man is destined for rough work, as he is the strongest; the woman to soft works; and both to help each other in the trials of a life full of bitterness".

It is quite clear in this chapter that if God "has given less physical strength to woman, He has at the same time given her greater sensitivity. Thus, she is delicate and able to cope with the delicacy of maternal functions and the weakness of the beings entrusted to her care". The functions given to women are as important as those given to men are and even greater.

In Question 822-a in The Book of Spirits, Allan Kardec asks the Spirits: "(...) for a legislation to be perfectly fair, must it enshrine the equality of men's and women's rights?" Here is the answer: "On rights, yes; on functions, no. (...) Human law, to be just, must enshrine the equal rights of men and women; every privilege granted to one or the other is contrary to justice. The emancipation of women follows the process of civilization, her enslavement marches with barbarism. The sexes, moreover, only exist in the physical organization, because the Spirits can take one and the other, with no differences between them in this respect. Therefore, they should enjoy the same rights.