THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY LAWS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE COMMON PERSON

From the beginning of human life on this planet the need for order within communities of people has been an essential component of the success of the community. Maintaining order within large groups of people involves implementing rules or laws to govern the activities of the community. Whether laws originate from man or from God is a question that people have debated from the beginning of human history. The adoption and implementation of laws reflect the values and beliefs of the community. The framework of laws, their application and the delivery of Justice has a direct correlation to the success or failure of a group of people referred to herein as a Society or Culture. Many of the early codes of law developed among ancient cultures in Mesopotamia. The following are examples of some of the more familiar foundational codes of law