RELIGION AND SOCIETY

Religion and Society ~ 393 ~ jurisprudence was developed into an independent branch of knowledge, thus becoming a subject for specialization. The ancient philosophers derived their legal principles from certain axioms, which they called natural rights. After the 16th century, the intellectual revolution of Europe demonstrated that these ‘axioms’ were actually only suppositions for which there existed no rational basis. Individual freedom subsequently came to be established as the greatest good, which could provide the basis for forming laws. But the consequences of the industrial revolution showed that, given individual freedom as the summum bonum, it leads us only to the exploitation of humanity, and to anarchy. Then the social good came to be considered the highest good which could provide guiding principles for legislation. But when this concept was first carried into effect it led to the most horrific political repression, in the name of public ownership. High hopes had indeed been held out that this new social order would guarantee greater justice for individuals, but a long experiment revealed that not only did the system of public ownership—being an