The NAP was only formulated in the 20th century. It derives from previously-existing moral standards, not the other way around. Almost every society in history has included rules about killing, theft, rape, property, etc. Even if you want to restrict it to social offenses—which I did not, because social offenses are absolutely not the only offense one could falsify in order to get someone in trouble—pretty much every society has had hierarchies as well. The serf isn't allowed to make a pass at the princess, and so on.
Newton wrote down the law of gravitation in 1687. People weren't floating off into space before then. The same thing applies to the NAP. Just because it was called something different doesn't mean it was actually something different.
Look at the history of casus belli. Cato the Elder wanted war against Carthage because they were becoming a threat and should be destroyed while they were weak. The Mongol Khanate wanted war because they were stronger and thus it was their right. Both of those are very much a might makes right casus belli. The Peace of Westphalia brought about the NAP between nations even though it was not called that back then. In fact the entire concept of jus ad bellum is just a variation of the NAP.
What? How about "Thou shalt not murder"?
The NAP was only formulated in the 20th century. It derives from previously-existing moral standards, not the other way around. Almost every society in history has included rules about killing, theft, rape, property, etc. Even if you want to restrict it to social offenses—which I did not, because social offenses are absolutely not the only offense one could falsify in order to get someone in trouble—pretty much every society has had hierarchies as well. The serf isn't allowed to make a pass at the princess, and so on.
Newton wrote down the law of gravitation in 1687. People weren't floating off into space before then. The same thing applies to the NAP. Just because it was called something different doesn't mean it was actually something different.
Look at the history of casus belli. Cato the Elder wanted war against Carthage because they were becoming a threat and should be destroyed while they were weak. The Mongol Khanate wanted war because they were stronger and thus it was their right. Both of those are very much a might makes right casus belli. The Peace of Westphalia brought about the NAP between nations even though it was not called that back then. In fact the entire concept of jus ad bellum is just a variation of the NAP.