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The majority of Americans view the West as an area that was dangerous, lawless, and male-dominated. Others native to the West viewed this region as a land of opportunity and freedom. Overall, however, it is evident that the West was where people began to fight for liberty and equality.1 The term is used to broadly describe social norms, traditions, beliefs and political systems, and class rankings that originated within European civilizations. The West was mainly comprised of major parts of Western Europe and had a predominantly white population.
From the West arose many powerful Empires and traditions that currently still have an impact on our world. Greeks, Romans, and many cultures have shaped the beliefs, developments, and class systems that we have continued to hold valuable in American society, even though there may be disagreement about the system’s legal code. The Babylonian Empire’s social structures and regulations, I believe, have had the most impact on our modern day social norms.
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This empire introduced a legal code of fairness that created a sense of structure and order within their society. Despite these similarities in relation to a hierarchy or social stratification, there were also differences to the modern world. By analyzing civilizations like Babylon, one can develop a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying ideas and beliefs in Western Civilizations because many of these empires greatly influenced each other and subscribed to a similar worldview. Specifically, although Hammurabi’s Empire existed centuries ago, today the United States and other countries resemble the structures amongst their social classes in a similar way to Babylon.
Modern-day Iraq was formerly the land of the Babylonian empire.
Most of the area’s domination was under the King known as Hammurabi, who presented a Stele which now represents the first well-known system of justice. Hammurabi was the first King to produce a valid system of laws for his followers. This great concern with justice for his people resulted in the establishment of a Stele coined as the “Hammurabi Stele.” The Stele was a cone-shaped pillar about seven feet tall with the regulations prominently engraved and easily visible for all to see. Even though Hammurabi, the King of Babylon, was praised by many for his justice system, the rules and laws disproportionately benefited the people based on their rank or social standing within the hierarchy of the society. Free people, slaves, merchants, women, carpenters, and others all had a specific place in their system of laws. Typically Hammurabi’s punishments were drastic and extreme and ranged from excessive fines, amputations, and even death. Ironically, the King of Babylon believed in justice, but gave way to a flawed system that fostered a vast discrepancy between members of society dependent on their social standing or class. Despite this reality, Hammurabi believed that his system was to be valued by all of the future civilizations because it created structures that were not embodied by past civilizations. Those who followed in his footsteps were to be blessed for their time ruling, but those who ignored the regulations in his Stele were to be cursed by him.
The geography of Babylon had a major impact in the way social, political, and economic developments unfolded. The early civilization of Babylon was first known for its legal code. However, this civilization gave way to many other important contributions. The Babylonian Empire was founded on a region known as the Fertile Crescent which paved the way for modern-day agriculture. The Fertile Crescent was an area of land that was well-irrigated by several rivers close to Babylon. However, other regions outside of this fertile area were also able to yield crops with the use of plows that allowed them to keep their farming land useful. The Fertile Crescent and the use of agriculture contributed to their social, political, and economic development. Agriculture led to gains in trade, dominance, and favorable interactions with others within and outside of their society. The land-owners were considered middle-class, a position of prominence over the farmers who worked on their land. This standing within the community led to political influence within the justice system of Babylon. Economically, the land that they possessed for farming raised funds for the Empire and created employment and a means for them to maintain their families and homes. Landowners did benefit more, however, than the famers who made up the lower-class and in turn had a harder time supporting their loved ones. Agriculture also facilitated social opportunities and increased a sense of collaboration with neighbors with whom they engaged in trade.
The text, “The Hammurabi Stele,” gives insight into the Babylonian society and their way of life. This article introduces the lifestyle of members who existed within each class rank and defines the justice system that the King of Babylon established for his people and prescribed for the rulers after him. This article mainly focuses on the political aspect of the society by highlighting the Stele which embodied the society’s regulations that each person must follow. In the text, it states, “The message of Hammurabi’s Stele is self-serving, both in pictures and words: Hammurabi was a worthy king, a true supporter of justice and order. The regulations give concrete expression to this message. They give voice not to laws but to ideals, examples of the operation of justice in an orderly society. Their intention is not to limit but to inspire the judicial system of Hammurabi’s time and of later times (Stan Rummel 3).” This quote summarizes the legacy the King hoped to leave behind for future generations in the judicial and political arena. Hammurabi’s influence is still evident in terms of varying socio-economic hierarchies that still exist in modern society. Another lasting influence of Hammurabi’s regulations is the manner in which they gave birth to the notion of a structured legal code which is a predecessor to the structure of Western Civilizations and all other civilizations that came after.
It is quite evident that the Stele of Hammurabi has influenced many different civilizations. Hammurabi’s regulations may have had many harsh punishments, but they were viewed as necessary elements to create order in society. This concept is still relevant today as evidenced by the notion that each nation has its own code of conduct and legal guidelines which promote structure and rule compliance. Even today all societies have some sort of justice system, however, individuals are not always equally subjected to their consequences depending on their social standing or socio-economic status. Even though our society views the punishments that Hammurabi set forth as excessive, we maintained the concept that “the punishment should be proportionate to the crime” (ie, you don’t kill someone for stealing a loaf of bread) which underpins our system of modern justice.” The writer of this article explains that Hammurabi’s concepts were modern and ahead of their time which explains why they are still relevant to today’s society. Also, I believe that with Hammurabi’s structure of laws, we have still maintained a discrepancy in the application of laws to members of society dependent on their place in the hierarchy. Overall, with the advent of agriculture, a structured legal code and the notion of disparity among citizens, Hammurabi has solidified contributions which are still applicable and demonstrate why Babylon has made a lasting impression on our world.
The Meaning of the West May Very Depending on Exactly Who You Ask. (2022, Apr 18). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-meaning-of-the-west-may-very-depending-on-exactly-who-you-ask-essay
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