Animals' Rights: Considered in Relation to Social Progress

Dierenrechtenbibliotheek

by Henry Stephens Salt

"...it is ourselves, our own vital instincts, that we wrong, when we trample on the rights of the fellow-beings, human or animal, over whom we chance to hold jurisdiction."
Henry Stephens Salt was a noted ethical vegetarian, socialist, humanitarian and pacifist. It was Salt who influenced Gandhi's study of vegetarianism and non-violent protest. He is credited with being the first writer to argue explicitly in favor of animal rights. He was way ahead of his time in his approach to animal welfare. Henry Salt is indeed an interesting turn-of-the-century writer whose ideas have been greatly influential and whose books are still worth reading. Salt believed animals should be free to live their own lives and that humanity has a responsibility to treat them compassionately and justly.
CONTENTS : Prefatory Note Chapter I - The Principle of Animals' Rights Chapter II - The Case of Domestic Animals Chapter III - The Case of Wild Animals Chapter IV - The Slaughter of Animals for Food Chapter V - Sport, or Amateur Butchery Chapter VI - Murderous Millinery Chapter VII - Experimental Torture Chapter VIII - Lines of Reform Appendix- Bibliography of the Rights of Animals The object of the following essay is to set the principle of animals' rights on a consistent and intelligible footing, to show that this principle underlies the various efforts of humanitarian reformers, and to make a clearance of the comfortable fallacies which the apologists of the present system have industriously accumulated. While not hesitating to speak strongly when occasion demanded, I have tried to avoid the tone of irrelevant recrimination so common in these controversies, and thus to give more unmistakable emphasis to the vital points at issue. We have to decide, not whether the practice of fox-hunting, for example, is more, or less, cruel than vivisection, but whether all practices which inflict unnecessary pain on sentient beings are not incompatible with the higher instincts of humanity. I am aware that many of my contentions will appear very ridiculous to those who view the subject from a contrary standpoint, and regard the lower animals as created solely for the pleasure and advantage of man; on the other hand, I have myself derived an unfailing fund of amusement from a rather extensive study of our adversaries' reasoning. It is a conflict of opinion, wherein in time alone can but already there are not a few signs that the laugh will rest ultimately with the humanitarians. My thanks are due to several friends who have helped me in the preparation of this book; I may mention Mr. Ernest Bell, Mr. Kenneth Romanes, and Mr. W. E. A. Axon. My many obligations to previous writers are acknowledged in the foot-notes and appendices.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Vegan, Vegetarianism

106 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1892

About the author

Henry Stephens Salt (/sɔːlt, sɒlt/; 20 September 1851 – 19 April 1939) was an English writer and campaigner for social reform in the fields of prisons, schools, economic institutions, and the treatment of animals. He was a noted ethical vegetarian, anti-vivisectionist, socialist, and pacifist, and was well known as a literary critic, biographer, classical scholar and naturalist.

Reviews

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m flabbergasted by how relevant this book still is. The book has been written 130 years ago, and the argumentation can easily be transferred to contemporary world.

Animal rights should be at the top of the political agenda, as positive changes in that field would be highly beneficial to a lot of issues (climate change, animal suffering, physical and mental health, diseases of affluence,…).

An important task is reserved for education, as Salt rightly points out.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“De grote vooruitgang van de wereld, gedurende alle eeuwen, kan worden afgemeten aan de toename van menselijkheid en de afname van wreedheid.”
Brandende actualiteit uit 1892. Grote denker.

[Sofie Guns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Voor een boek uitgegeven in 1894 is dit verbazingwekkend relevant en interessant.

[Mischa Daanen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Salt has some interesting points but it quickly becomes repetitive and half the book consists of footnotes. Reads like an unfinished essay that’s barely been edited.

[Kritika Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am grateful for the work Salt did with this peace. He was an ethical vegetarian and believed in a cruelty free life and his work reflects that. This book is a sort of testament for everyone who wants to start reading and knowing about animals' rights as it is one of the early pillars in developing the voice of ethics and rights for animals.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for every vegan and vegetarian.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a bit of a shock that this book was written around 130 years ago. The arguments presented are similar, although less refined and visceral, to those presented in Peter Singer's "Animal Liberation." The concept of veganism, and the issues of dairy, eggs, and wool are almost entirely absent, but the impetus of the call for the recognition of animals' rights is clear and present throughout. It is a great book, and without doubt one that has not been given it's share of attention. I recorded the audiobook version of this book, which is in the public domain, for Librivox, and it should be available on their website and on the Internet Archive later this week for free.

[Dries · Rating 3 out of 5]

het lezen ging echt moeilijk en toen kwam ik erachter dat het boek al meer dan 130 jaar oud is lmaoooo anyway alles wat hij aanhaalt is interessant en meneer Salt doorzeeft alle tegenargumenten van die domhoofden die zeggen dat men dieren mag pijn doen.

[Martijn Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

130 jaar oud essay over het belang van dierenrechten en educatie. Zo scherp geschreven dat het nu nog toepasbaar is.

[Mathijs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aardig, maar het rommelt nog hier en daar

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henry Salt the man that you are