vis major

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［History］
It is used in everyday language, but it is a particularly important concept in law. This concept comes from the Roman law vis major (literally "super power"). In Roman law, shipowners, innkeepers, and stable owners were required to return any items entrusted to them while conducting business in the same condition as they were, and were fully responsible for any loss or damage, even if there was no intention or negligence. This heavy responsibility (called receptum) was recognized, but even in such cases, it came to be understood that if there was a vis major, they were exempt from responsibility, and this was passed down to the laws of various countries and came to have the above meaning.

*Some of the terminology that mentions "vis major" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

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［沿革］
　日常用語としても使われるが，法律上とくに重要な概念である。この概念はローマ法上のvis major(直訳すれば〈超越した力〉)に由来する。ローマ法では，船主，旅館主，厩（うまや）の主人が，営業を行うに際し預かった物品については，そのままの状態で返還し，滅失･毀損した場合には故意･過失がなくても全責任を負うという重い責任(レセプツムreceptum責任と称される)が認められていたが，その場合でもvis majorが存在する場合には責任を免れると解されるようになり，それが各国の法に受け継がれて，上記の意味をもつに至った。…

※「vis major」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報