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PlsLory of Law

1he hlsLory of law ls closely connecLed Lo Lhe developmenL of clvlllzaLlon AnclenL LgypLlan law daLlng as
far back as 3000 8C conLalned a clvll code LhaL was probably broken lnLo Lwelve books lL was based on Lhe
concepL of MaaL characLerlsed by LradlLlon rheLorlcal speech soclal equallLy and lmparLlallLy
8081
8y Lhe 22nd
cenLury 8C Lhe anclenL Sumerlan ruler urnammu had formulaLed Lhe flrsL law code whlch conslsLed
of casulsLlc sLaLemenLs (lf Lhen ) Around 1760 8C klng Pammurabl furLher developed 8abylonlan law by
codlfylng and lnscrlblng lL ln sLone Pammurabl placed several coples of hls law code LhroughouL Lhe klngdom of
8abylon assLelae for Lhe enLlre publlc Lo see Lhls became known as Lhe Codex Pammurabl 1he mosL lnLacL copy
of Lhese sLelae was dlscovered ln Lhe 19Lh cenLury by 8rlLlsh AssyrlologlsLs and has slnce been
fully LransllLeraLed and LranslaLed lnLo varlous languages lncludlng Lngllsh Cerman and lrench
82

1he Cld 1esLamenL daLes back Lo 1280 8C and Lakes Lhe form of moral lmperaLlves as recommendaLlons
for a good socleLy 1he small Creek clLysLaLe anclenL ALhens from abouL Lhe 8Lh cenLury 8C was Lhe flrsL socleLy
Lo be based on broad lncluslon of lLs clLlzenry excludlng women and Lhe slave class Powever ALhens had no legal
sclence or slngle word for law
83
relylng lnsLead on Lhe Lhreeway dlsLlncLlon beLween dlvlne law (tbmls)
human decree (oomos) and cusLom (Jlke)
84
?eL AnclenL Creek law conLalned ma[or consLlLuLlonal lnnovaLlons ln
Lhe developmenL of democracy
83

8oman law was heavlly lnfluenced by Creek phllosophy buL lLs deLalled rules were developed by
professlonal [urlsLs and were hlghly sophlsLlcaLed
8687
Cver Lhe cenLurles beLween Lhe rlse and decllne of
Lhe 8oman Lmplre law was adapLed Lo cope wlLh Lhe changlng soclal slLuaLlons and underwenL ma[or codlflcaLlon
under1heodoslus ll and !usLlnlan l
88
AlLhough codes were replaced by cusLom and case law durlng Lhe uark Ages
8oman law was redlscovered around Lhe 11Lh cenLury when medlval legal scholars began Lo research 8oman
codes and adapL Lhelr concepLs ln medlval Lngland royal courLs developed a body of precedenL whlch laLer
became Lhe common law A Luropewlde Law MerchanL was formed so LhaL merchanLs could Lrade wlLh common
sLandards of pracLlce raLher Lhan wlLh Lhe many spllnLered faceLs of local laws 1he Law MerchanL a precursor Lo
modern commerclal law emphaslsed Lhe freedom Lo conLracL and allenablllLy of properLy
89
As naLlonallsm grew
ln Lhe 18Lh and 19Lh cenLurles Lhe Law MerchanL was lncorporaLed lnLo counLrles local law under new clvll codes
1he napoleonlc and Cerman Codes became Lhe mosL lnfluenLlal ln conLrasL Lo Lngllsh common law
whlch conslsLs of enormous Lomes of case law codes ln small books are easy Lo exporL and easy for [udges Lo
apply Powever Loday Lhere are slgns LhaL clvll and common law are converglng
90
Lu law ls codlfled ln LreaLles
buL develops Lhrough Lhe precedenL lald down by Lhe Luropean CourL of !usLlce
AnclenL lndla and Chlna represenL dlsLlncL LradlLlons of law and have hlsLorlcally had lndependenL schools
of legal Lheory and pracLlce 1he Attbosbostto probably complled around 100 Au (alLhough lL conLalns older
maLerlal) and Lhe Mooosmtltl (c 100300 Au) were foundaLlonal LreaLlses ln lndla and comprlse LexLs consldered
auLhorlLaLlve legal guldance
91
Manus cenLral phllosophy was Lolerance and lurallsm and was clLed across
SouLheasL Asla
92
1hls PlnduLradlLlon along wlLh lslamlc law was supplanLed by Lhe common law when lndla
became parL of Lhe 8rlLlsh Lmplre
93
Malaysla
8runel Slngapore and Pong kong also adopLed Lhe common law 1he easLern Asla legal LradlLlon reflecLs
a unlque blend of secular and rellglous lnfluences
94
!apan was Lhe flrsL counLry Lo begln modernlslng lLs legal
sysLem along wesLern llnes by lmporLlng blLs of Lhe lrench buL mosLly Lhe Cerman Clvll Code
93
1hls parLly
reflecLed Cermanys sLaLus as a rlslng power ln Lhe laLe 19Lh cenLury Slmllarly LradlLlonal Chlnese law gave way Lo
wesLernlsaLlon Lowards Lhe flnal years of Lhe Chlng dynasLy ln Lhe form of slx prlvaLe law codes based malnly on
Lhe !apanese model of Cerman law
96
1oday 1alwanese law reLalns Lhe closesL afflnlLy Lo Lhe codlflcaLlons from
LhaL perlod because of Lhe spllL beLween Chlang kalsheks naLlonallsLs who fled Lhere and Mao Zedongs
communlsLs who won conLrol of Lhe malnland ln 1949 1he currenL legal lnfrasLrucLure ln Lhe eoples 8epubllc of
Chlna was heavlly lnfluenced bySovleL SoclallsL law whlch essenLlally lnflaLes admlnlsLraLlve law aL Lhe expense of
prlvaLe law rlghLs
97
uue Lo rapld lndusLrlallsaLlon Loday Chlna ls undergolng a process of reform aL leasL ln Lerms
of economlc lf noL soclal and pollLlcal rlghLs A new conLracL code ln 1999 represenLed a move away from
admlnlsLraLlve domlnaLlon
98
lurLhermore afLer negoLlaLlons lasLlng flfLeen years ln 2001 Chlna [olned Lhe World
1rade CrganlsaLlon
99

hLLp//enwlklpedlaorg/wlkl/Law
lraglle as reason ls and llmlLed as |aw ls as Lhe lnsLlLuLlonallzed medlum of reason LhaLs all we have sLandlng
beLween us and Lhe Lyranny of mere wlll and Lhe cruelLy of unbrldled undlsclpllned feellng
Ie||x Irankfurter
Amer|can [ur|st 1882196S
1here are no mlnuLes of Lhe 8oyal Ceographlc SocleLy or caLacombs Lo show us how for sure|aw orlglnaLed We
have no carbondaLlng or even anyLhlng clrcumsLanLlal Lo hook onLo (see also 1he Laws no|y Gra|| Where?
What?)

Language and Lhe wrlLLen word came a Lad laLe for posLneanderLhal mans flrsL dlddlylngs wlLh law

Man had been abouL for 23 mllllon years

And where Lhere ls man nowadays Lhere ls some semblance of law

Man of course and excepL for cranlopagus Slamese Lwlns has a slngular exlsLence LssenLlally we are alone wlLh
our [oys palns wanLs fears and deaLh ln our prlvaLe sancLuary of LhoughL

AnLhropologlsLs argue LhaL man ls a naLurally soclal belng rare Lhe one conLenL wlLh a sollLary exlsLence CLher
agree LhaL man ls soclal buL parLly lf noL enLlrely ouL of necesslLy Men need each oLher for proLecLlon and Lhus
Lhe lnlLlal spark of law flew

Alone man needs no law Pe can do as he pleases 8uL unless he ls blgger meaner Lougher smarLer and qulcker
Lhan every oLher man he ever meeLs hls safeLy ls noL assured
Slgmund lreud wroLe
Men are noL genLle frlendly creaLures wlshlng for love who slmply defend Lhemselves lf Lhey are aLLacked buL
LhaL a powerful measure of deslre for aggresslon has Lo be reckoned as parL of Lhelr lnsLlncLual endowmenL 1he
resulL ls LhaL Lhelr nelghbour ls Lo Lhem noL only a posslble helper or sexual ob[ecL buL also a LempLaLlon Lo Lhem
Lo graLlfy Lhelr aggresslveness on hlm Lo explolL hls capaclLy for work wlLhouL recompense Lo use hlm sexually
wlLhouL hls consenL Lo selze hls possesslons Lo humlllaLe hlm Lo cause hlm paln Lo torture and Lo klll hlm
1hls aggresslve cruelLy usually lles ln walL for some provocaLlon or else lL sLeps lnLo Lhe servlce of some oLher
purpose Lhe alm of whlch mlghL as well have been achleved by mllder measures ln clrcumsLances LhaL favour lL
when Lhose forces ln Lhe mlnd whlch ordlnarlly lnhlblL lL cease Lo operaLe lL also manlfesLs lLself sponLaneously
and reveals men as savage beasLs Lo whom Lhe LhoughL of sparlng Lhelr own klnd ls allen Anyone who calls Lo
mlnd Lhe aLroclLles of Lhe early mlgraLlons of Lhe lnvaslon by Lhe Puns or by Lhe socalled Mongols under !enghlz
khan and 1amurlane of Lhe sack of !erusalem by Lhe plous Crusaders even lndeed Lhe horrors of Lhe lasL world
war wlll have Lo bow hls head humbly before Lhe LruLh of Lhls vlew of man
1o see man wlLhouL law or whaL socleLy would be llke wlLhouL law one has Lo look no farLher Lhan Lhe anlmal
klngdom 1he llon on Lhe hunL ls noL looklng for someone hls own slze Pe's looklng for Lhe weakesL 1he llon
doesn'L worry abouL falrness or lnfllcLlng as llLLle paln as ls necessary

A rloL ls anoLher a brlef wlndow lnLo of anarchy or lawlessness Lhe cruelLy of unbrldled undlsclpllned feellng ls
unleashed of whlch war ls an exLended verslon

1he core socleLal unlL for man ls Lhe famlly lor early man LhaL was Lhe exLenL of hls communlLy

WlLh Lhe recesslon of Lhe lce from Lhe lasL lce Age man venLured from hls cave and Lhelr famllles exLended Lhelr
llmlLs and grew Lo lnclude relaLlves Lhen frlends

Law produces order by Lhe arLlculaLlon of rules of conducL or prohlblLed behavlour enforceable by some auLhorlLy
developed from mans growlng recognlLlon LhaL a cerLaln sLaLe of affalrs ls unsafe for lndlvlduals or communlLles

WanLon murder was prohlblLed (ouLslde of war) because Lhe prospecL of sudden graLulLous deaLh Lends Lo creaLe
panlc aLLacks

1hefL formerly known slmply as approprlaLlon by Lhe sLrongesL ls prohlblLed because wlLhouL lL properLy
rlghLs and Lrade are noL lmposslble and Lrade brlngs new goodles Lo everybody

Marrlage beLween persons of cerLaln degrees of consangulnlLy (eg lncesL) ls prohlblLed because Lhose
relaLlonshlps produce no varleLy and adapLaLlon Lhus a specles LhaL cannoL compeLe

Anarchy ls anoLher naLural occurrence whlch men qulckly reallzed was boLh unsafe and unpredlcLable lL ls Lough
Lo plan a MesopoLamlan day Lrlp around a busy schedule of chaos and rloLs

lasLforward Lhousands of years AgrlculLural advances ellmlnaLed Lhe need Lo relocaLe and man found he could
susLaln permanenL seLLlemenL 1he besL agrlculLural lands aLLracLed famllles Man evolved hls pack lnLo llLLle Lowns
8aLher Lhan Lhe unpredlcLable llfe of hunLlng man preferred Lhe predlcLable llfe whlch agrlculLure afforded Along
Lhe coasL of Lhe 8lack Sea and ln presenLday aklsLan seLLlemenLs were creaLed ln 80007000 8C such as !erlcho
CaLal Puyuk and Mebtqotb Lhe rulns of whlch are plcLured below

Cne auLhor descrlbed Lhe LransformaLlon as follows
1he flrsL of Lhe greaL rlver clvlllzaLlons of Lhe anclenL world arose ln abouL 3300 8C when Lhe people of Lhe
ferLlle lands developed agrlculLure LhaL could supporL largescale populaLlon levels Whereas Lhelr prlmlLlve
hunLergaLher ancesLors needed hundreds of acres Lo supporL a famlly unlL Lhe farmer needed less Lhan LwenLy
flve More food meanL more mouLhs could be fed And gradually Lhe owners of Lhese mouLhs came Lo llve a
sedenLary llfe based around Lhe Lemple and Lhe sLorehouse

1hus dld clvlllzaLlon from Lhe LaLln nlvltos llvlng ln a clLy begln lor Lhe flrsL Llme human belngs llved ln an
envlronmenL shaped enLlrely by Lhelr own hands wlLh Lhe maLerlal resources Lo be spared Lhe consLanL hunL and
labour for food ClLy llfe demanded new complex forms of organlzaLlon ClLy llfe by Lhronglng LogeLher a mass of
people made culLural and Lechnologlcal lnnovaLlon more llkely
ClvlllzaLlon ls a group of people bound by culLure ln a common LerrlLory and whlch has aLLalned a degree of
complexlLy usually characLerlzed by urban llfe 1he larger Lhe populaLlon Lhe safer Lhe Lown buL Lhe larger Lhe
Lown Lhe greaLer Lhe aLLracLlon Lo marauders and Lhe greaLer need for even more clLlzens

|ackstone spoke of a soclal conLracL
ln Lhe very acL of assoclaLlng LogeLher namely LhaL Lhe whole should proLecL all lLs parLs and LhaL every parL
should pay obedlence Lo Lhe wlll of Lhe whole or ln oLher words LhaL Lhe communlLy should guard Lhe rlghLs of
each lndlvldual member and LhaL ls (ln reLurn for Lhls proLecLlon) each lndlvldual should submlL Lo Lhe laws of Lhe
communlLy wlLhouL whlch submlsslon of all lL was lmposslble LhaL proLecLlon should be cerLalnly exLended Lo
any
1hls Lhe Sumerlans and Lhe LLhloplans perfecLed some 10000 years 8C

SLay and be proLecLed or leave and Ch and waLch ouL for Lhose roamlng Akkadlans and llons along Lhe paLh

As humans began Lo recognlze Lhe beneflLs of an absence of Lhe chaos creaLed by anarchy Lhey experlmenLed law
aL Lhe whlm of a slngle person (rule of man)

WhaL was lmporLanL was Lhe rule of law LhaL everyone no maLLer how lmporLanL or rlch be sub[ecL

Law Lo enforce order

Law has Lherefore been deflned as enforceable rules of order

ln a Canadlan courL case e Mooltobo looqooqe lqbts (Mooltobo) publlshed aL 1983 1 SC8 721 Lhe CourL noLed
LhaL
Law and order are lndlspensable elemenLs of clvlllzed llfe 1he rule of law ln Lhls sense lmplles slmply Lhe
exlsLence of publlc order 1he rule of law expresses a preference for law and order wlLhln a communlLy raLher Lhan
anarchy warfare and consLanL sLrlfe
erhaps Lhe Lheory was more eloquenLly puL ln 1989 by [udge Wood of Lhe 8rlLlsh Columbla Supreme CourL ln v
8tlJqes publlshed aL 48 CCC 3d 343
lL ls Lhe rule of law whlch dlsLlngulshes clvlllzed socleLy from anarchy LveryLhlng whlch we have Loday and
whlch we cherlsh ln Lhls free and democraLlc sLaLe we have because of Lhe rule of law lreedom of rellglon and
freedom of expresslon exlsL Loday because of Lhe rule of law ?our rlghL Lo hold Lhe bellefs you do Lo espouse
Lhose bellefs wlLh Lhe fervour whlch you do and Lo aLLempL Lo persuade oLhers Lo your polnL of vlew exlsLs only
because of Lhe rule of law WlLhouL Lhe rule of law Lhere ls only Lhe rule of mlghL WlLhouL Lhe rule of law Lhe
Canadlan CharLer of 8lghLs and lreedoms whlch some of you soughL Lo lnvoke would be noLhlng buL anoLher
plece of parchmenL adrlfL ln Lhe Llmeless evoluLlon of mans hlsLory

1he rule of law exlsLs ln Lhls socleLy only because Lhe overwhelmlng ma[orlLy of clLlzens lrrespecLlve of Lhelr
dlfferenL vlews on rellglon morallLy or sclence agree Lo be bound by Lhe law 1haL agreemenL whlch cannoL be
found recorded ln any convenLlonal sense has survlved Lhe deepesL and mosL profound confllcLs of rellglon
morallLy and sclence ln LhaL sense lL mlghL be LhoughL LhaL lLs sLrengLh ls overwhelmlng and lLs fuLure secure 8uL
LhaL ls noL Lhe case aL all for Lhe conLlnued exlsLence of LhaL agreemenL ls LhreaLened by lLs own lnherenL fraglllLy

Cnce our laws are flouLed and orders of our courLs LreaLed wlLh conLempL Lhe whole fabrlc of our freedom ls
desLroyed We can Lhen only reverL Lo condlLlons of Lhe dark ages when Lhe only law recognlzed was LhaL of
mlghL Cne law broken and Lhe breach Lhereof lgnored ls buL an lnvlLaLlon Lo lgnore furLher laws and Lhls lf
conLlnued can only resulL ln Lhe breakdown of Lhe freedom under Lhe law whlch we so greaLly prlze
A new ?ork SLaLe [udgmenL of 2006 recognlzed LhaL (teos v 5tote 831 n?S 2d 347)
Adherence Lo Lhe rule of law ls whaL guldes us ln our everyday soclal and legal lnLeracLlons prevenLs anarchy and
hold us LogeLher as a people
1he uS Supreme CourL ln 1963 ln a case clLed as cox v 5tote of loolslooo 379 uS 336 (!usLlce Coldberg)
1he exlsLence of an organlzed socleLy malnLalnlng publlc order wlLhouL whlch llberLy lLself would be losL ln Lhe
excesses of anarchy

1he conLrol of Lravel on Lhe sLreeLs ls a clear example of governmenLal responslblllLy Lo lnsure Lhls necessary
order A resLrlcLlon ln LhaL relaLlon deslgned Lo promoLe Lhe publlc convenlence ln Lhe lnLeresL of all and noL
suscepLlble Lo abuses of dlscrlmlnaLory appllcaLlon cannoL be dlsregarded by Lhe aLLempLed exerclse of some clvll
rlghL whlch ln oLher clrcumsLances would be enLlLled Lo proLecLlon Cne would noL be [usLlfled ln lgnorlng Lhe
famlllar red llghL because Lhls was LhoughL Lo be a means of soclal proLesL nor could one conLrary Lo Lrafflc
regulaLlons lnslsL upon a sLreeL meeLlng ln Lhe mlddle of 1lmes Square aL Lhe rush hour as a form of freedom of
speech or assembly CovernmenLal auLhorlLles have Lhe duLy and responslblllLy Lo keep Lhelr sLreeLs open and
avallable for movemenL A group of demonsLraLors could noL lnslsL upon Lhe rlghL Lo cordon off a sLreeL or
enLrance Lo a publlc or prlvaLe bulldlng and allow no one Lo pass who dld noL agree Lo llsLen Lo Lhelr exhorLaLlons
1he world ls a compllcaLed place wlLh rules and regulaLlons law for almosL all LhaL we do lL ls overwhelmlng for
adolescenLs upon Lhelr comlng of age and Lhe reallzaLlon of Lhe llmlLs on Lhelr freedoms nor ls lL necessarlly self
evldenL LhaL Lhose llmlLs are essenLlal Lo Lhe comforLs of Lhelr llves

An excellenL example of Lhls was Lhe Supreme CourL of Lhe unlLed SLaLes 1903 case Ionobsoo v commooweoltb of
Mossonbosetts
1he defendanL lnslsLs LhaL hls llberLy ls lnvaded when Lhe sLaLe sub[ecLs hlm Lo flne or lmprlsonmenL for
neglecLlng or refuslng Lo submlL Lo vacclnaLlon LhaL a compulsory vacclnaLlon law ls unreasonable arblLrary and
oppresslve and Lherefore hosLlle Lo Lhe lnherenL rlghL of every freeman Lo care for hls own body and healLh ln
such way as Lo hlm seems besL and LhaL Lhe execuLlon of such a law agalnsL one who ob[ecLs Lo vacclnaLlon no
maLLer for whaL reason ls noLhlng shorL of an assaulL upon hls person

8uL Lhe llberLy secured by Lhe ConsLlLuLlon of Lhe unlLed SLaLes Lo every person wlLhln lLs [urlsdlcLlon does noL
lmporL an absoluLe rlghL ln each person Lo be aL all Llmes and ln all clrcumsLances wholly freed from resLralnL

1here are manlfold resLralnLs Lo whlch every person ls necessarlly sub[ecL for Lhe common good Cn any oLher
basls organlzed socleLy could noL exlsL wlLh safeLy Lo lLs members

SocleLy based on Lhe rule LhaL each one ls a law unLo hlmself would soon be confronLed wlLh dlsorder and
anarchy 8eal llberLy for all could noL exlsL under Lhe operaLlon of a prlnclple whlch recognlzes Lhe rlghL of each
lndlvldual person Lo use hls own wheLher ln respecL of hls person or hls properLy regardless of Lhe ln[ury LhaL may
be done Lo oLhers

1hls courL has more Lhan once recognlzed lL as a fundamenLal prlnclple LhaL persons and properLy are sub[ecLed
Lo all klnds of resLralnLs and burdens ln order Lo secure Lhe general comforL healLh and prosperlLy of Lhe sLaLe of
Lhe perfecL rlghL of Lhe leglslaLure Lo do whlch no quesLlon ever was or upon acknowledged general prlnclples
ever can be made so far as naLural persons are concerned
Clrca 1904 Lhe Amerlcan mmlqtotloo AcL prohlblLed olleo oootnblsts whlch lL deflned as
ersons who belleve ln or advocaLe Lhe overLhrow by force or vlolence of Lhe governmenL of Lhe unlLed SLaLes or
of all governmenL or of all forms of law or Lhe assasslnaLlon of publlc offlclals
lronlcally anarchy for all lL's bad press slmply and ob[ecLlvely refers Lo an absence of law whlch ls noL necessarlly
a bad Lhlng alLhough uLoplan a soclal Lheory whlch regards Lhe unlon of order wlLh Lhe absence of all dlrecL
governmenL of man by man as Lhe pollLlcal ldeal absoluLe lndlvldual llberLy

lL ls a bellef held by some LhaL humans are evolvlng Lowards LhaL kepL on Lhe sLralghL and narrow paLh Lhrough
Lhe Lemporary gaLe posLs of law and asslsLed by educaLlon lnLo persons wlLh lnnaLe senses of rlghL and wrong
and no predllecLlon Lo rape or plunder Some polnL Lo Lhe openlng chapLer of Lhe 8lble Cenesls and where ln Lhe
myLhlcal garden of Lden Lhere was no dlsLlncLlon necessary beLween good and evll (or for LhaL maLLer beLween
genders)
1hus no need for law ArlsLoLle
lf all men were frlends Lhere would be no need of [usLlce
And so Lhe LheoreLlcal evoluLlon of law aL lLs slmplesL may be descrlbed as follows
1 8ad anarchy (lawlessness chaos and graLulLous vlolence)
2 8ule of Man (Conqueror klngs Cueens and Lmperors)
3 8ule of Law (senaLes parllamenLs and assemblles)
4 1he fuLure uLopla? Cood anarchy ? (no need for governmenL)?
A corollary Lo all Lhls ls perhaps Lhe mosL lmporLanL polnL of all one for whlch much lnk and blood has been spllled
slnce Man began Lo Llnker wlLh governmenL CovernmenL musL noL ever make law(s) for Lhe slmple sake of
conLrol lL oughL Lo never lnLerfere wlLh lLs clLlzens wlLh a law unless Lhere ls a oblln olln teosoo Lo do so
hLLp//wwwduhalmeorg/LawMuseum/LawArLlcle133/CrlglnofLawaspx

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