Why do civilizations have laws?

I am here for another debate! My question this time was 'Why do civilizations have laws?' My simple answer to that would be: because civilizations need laws to have civilizations work properly and to protect their people, sources, land and heritage.

For example, if there wasn't a law that said something like 'you cannot murder people' than many humans in the civilization would die. Or if a civilization didn't have traffic lights, there would be many accidents that could seriously injure people and possibly kill them. But the people's physical protection also ties inn with the protection of sources and land.

People need food to live. It is as simple as that. If you cut of people's recources, (for example, food)you are putting humans in physical danger. And to grow things, you need land to grow it on.

Heritage is a very important aspect in a civilization. It makes it so the civilization has something special and in some way is unique. Heritage is an important part in any civilization and that is why laws protect it.

Another good question is: 'what I think about Hammurabi's Code.' If you guys don't know what Hammurabi's Code code is, I will explain. Hammurabi was this king in Babylon. He ruled from 1796 BC – 1750 BC. He was a very strict man and carved on a seven foot, four inch tall basalt slab. On it, he inscribed laws.

Below are a few of the laws: (translated)


195. If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn off.


200. If a man knock out the teeth of his equal, his teeth shall be knocked out.

202. If any one strike the body of a man higher in rank than he, he shall receive sixty blows with an ox-whip in public.


205. If the slave of a freed man strike the body of a freed man, his ear shall be cut off.


229. If a builder build a house for some one, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built fall in and kill its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.

230. If it kill the son of the owner the son of that builder shall be put to death.

I don't think that Hammurabi's laws were correct because they weren't fair at all! Some things can be accidents and I don't agree with punishing an innocent person. For example, 230: It says that the son of the builder shall be put to death. Why is that fair? The son didn't do anything! If anyone had to die, it should be the builder.


Information from:
http://chnm.gmu.edu/worldhistorysources/d/267/whm.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi
http://www.phillipmartin.info/hammurabi/hammurabi_law251-282.htm