Hammurabi’s Code: Revenge or Justice

Andrew Zobel Christian Woodfin Tim Koehler Justice and strike back, while often lumped together, drive home truly distinct differences. Revenge, in its most basic meaning, is exact penalization or expiation for a wrong on behalf of, especially in a resentful or vindictive spirit. Justice, on the other hand, has more of a heroic feel to it. Justice is the right thing, while punish is frowned upon in society. Justice is necessary, retaliation is not.Every successful civilization in level has had a strong system of laws and punishments, and Hammurabis Sumerians were no exception. Hammurabis recruit evokes a strong sense of jurist rather than punish. While his laws were very strict in nature, they were simply disciplinary measures needed to keep the normal man in line. The eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth method of discipline, while creation quite primitive in compassion for those breaking the law, is still justice at its inner most core.The first three laws in Hammurabis co de have to do with protecting the accused. Nowhere in these decrees is revenge a factor this is all ab let out preserving integrity for the individual. Rules twenty-two to twenty-five have to do with theft and robbery. It is not simply an act of revenge to pursue those in violation of the law and punish them, it is to balance out both sides of the equation. If someone feels the need to steal, then he or she shall expect the consequences prescribe forth. Hammurabi was quite strict on adultery.If someone was found having an affair, they were any run out of town, paid a hefty fine, or were put to death. Having such severe punishments for crime really whips the subjects into shape. Had there been less of a penalty, the common man would take advantage of these laws because of no fear of the consequences. If revenge was the core of a legal system, then society could not move itself forward it would be too worried about getting even, hence causing it to self-destruct. Without law and o rder, civilization and a prosperous community cannot exist.