Chapter 8
Ombudsmen—200 years of service
introduction
In 2009 we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the creation of the modern institution of the ombudsman. The idea of an ombudsman–like office—someone to protect citizens against government mistreatment—is not new. Such institutions have been seen in one form or another in the Roman Empire, and in ancient Chinese, Indian and Islamic societies, to name a few. However, the concept of an ombudsman as an independent arbiter of disputes between the citizen and government, enshrined in law and in the context of the nation–state, is a more recent development. This chapter provides a brief overview of the development of modern ombudsman functions around the world.
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