Law of Free Birth

The Lei do Ventre Livre was ( Portuguese for law of free abdomen), a law that was adopted in 1871 by the Brazilian Parliament and stipulated that the future brought by slaves to the world, children should be free.

The legislative initiative came from Visconde do Rio Branco, José Maria da Silva Paranhos. He laid on May 27, 1871 the bill to Parliament. According to his view, the maintenance of slavery was harmful to the reputation of Brazil abroad. The law was discussed in both chambers of controversy between liberals and conservatives. After the approval of the House of Representatives and the Senate passed on 28 September 1871, the Law No. 2040. According to the initiator of the law is also known under the name of Lei Visconde do Rio Branco.

The law stipulated that the owner of the mother had to raise the child up to the age of eight. After that, he was the child work for them to compensate for the costs incurred up to the age of 21 or by the State require a severance payment in the amount of 600,000 Réis. Since the vast majority of slaves but were men and the infant mortality rate in slaves than 90 percent, the law has not had much effect. Nevertheless, it represents a first step towards the liberation of the slaves in Brazil whereas complete abolition of slavery in 1888 realized until 17 years later with the Lei Aurea.