The Code of Hammurabi was devised thousands of years ago in ancient Babylon by King Hammurabi and inscribed on a seven-foot stone slab. It contains around 300 different laws, covering topics such as violent acts, social class and family law. This system has become a kind of basis for our laws and social norms almost 4,000 years later. The Code of Hammurabi is an extremely archaic and invalid system of laws in our modern social and political systems. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Babylonians firmly believed in the idea of ​​an eye for an eye, particularly when it came to nobles, but this typically involved excessive punishment rather than just and reasonable action. The death penalty was imposed for petty theft and hands were cut off for assault. Surgeons would lose limbs if they failed in their job. This would of course be completely absurd in today's world where we have a prison system and even criminals have the right to due process and a trial by jury. The code also had a very strict three-class structure to follow. The Amelu were elite patricians who had aristocratic privileges and were served by the ardu, slaves. Interestingly, there was no problem if Amelu had children with Ardu and it was not considered infidelity as the Ardu were considered subhuman. Slaves were branded with identifying marks that could be surgically removed if they gained freedom or were freed by their masters. The term mushkenu translates directly to "beggar", but the term was generally used to refer to anyone who did not own land. According to Hammurabi, the divorce had to be initiated by the husband, who in turn would also charge the wife's dowry. . This would result in a serious degradation of women's rights at all levels and their little or no representation in divorce cases, particularly in the case of abusive relationships, a topic that has become much more relevant in today's social climate. Adultery was punishable by death for both parties involved unless the husband was willing to forgive his wife for the action. There was no concept of a will, so deceased people's assets would be distributed among their children. However, people could disinherit their children with judicial consent of some kind. Adoption was typically a form of apprenticeship, meaning that if the “father” did not adequately teach his son a trade, he could be taken to court. If in place today, this system would lead to the disruption of family structures around the world. These policies take away the right of families to make their own decisions about their well-being, instead placing that well-being in the hands of the government. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Customize EssayThe Code of Hammurabi was a primitive and archaic system and should have little influence on our society. The idea of ​​an eye for an eye is inhumane and does more harm than good. The rigid class structure openly supports the use of slaves, treating them as subhuman and unworthy of basic rights. Finally, the code creates a rigid family structure that essentially forces government intervention in family disputes. Such a system is inhumane and essentially dictatorial.