Any law
code will show what problems a society is dealing with. If an issue is not a problem or causing
conflict, there is no need to make a law about it. Societies make laws to resolve or reduce
their conflicts so that their society can run more smoothly. Furthermore, laws reveal what a
society values and how the society is structured.
The Hammurabi Code reveals
that people in ancient Babylonia owned private property and needed laws and contracts to protect
their property rights. Laws in the Code, for example, dealt with who was liable for property
damage and helped regulate the inheritance of property. This shows that protecting private
property and enforcing clear ownership rules were important to this culture.
The Code also reveals that the Babylonians lived in a hierarchical society. Penalties for crimes
against a lower caste person, such as a slave, were less harsh than if committed against an
upper class person. For example, a doctor whose poor medical treatment allowed a
rich...
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