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> The meaning of words matters. Sure, and (unless wikipedia is lying) the words "debtor's prison" have for centuries included the imprisonment of people unable
by fenomas 7y ago
> The meaning of words matters.
Sure, and (unless wikipedia is lying) the words "debtor's prison" have for centuries included the imprisonment of people unable to pay court-ordered judgments, as well as private debts. Per that definition, the article's usage is correct.
(You can certainly make the argument that the situation described in the article doesn't meet the specific "contractual obligation" language in the EuCHR's definition, but that has nothing to do with your claim that the article is misleading people.)
- rayiner 7y agoYou’re misreading the article. To enforce a private debt, you have to sue and get a “court ordered judgment.” A debt by itself is not executable until you get a judgment. “Debtors prison,” consistent with the EuCHR definition, historically referred to putting people in prison for failure to pay a court ordered judgement arising out of a private debt, i.e. “a contextual obligation.”