Judaism and the Code of Hammurabi are both effective ways of controlling a population.
- Describe how both systems are different both in terms of their method of control and what it would have felt like to be a citizen.
- Which one is more effective? Why?
21 comments:
Hopefully my quotes won't make me sound like an idiot. I know I'm off topic, but still.
I think that Judaism was more effective because it was more of a higher power that controlled everything. So you couldn't get away with anything as opposed to it is not illegal unless you get caught.
Hammurabi's Code focuses on particular, specific laws, that may not be the answer to everything, and often is not. However, Judaism focuses on an overall set of laws covering all the bases. They can both control a community as best they can, and it tends to be a very personal decision for each individual. Often, faith is bigger than fear. If you have faith in God, you would be more willing to adhere to the law as opposed to fearing the law. Although it depends on personal beliefs, I believe that Judaism is more effective, considering Faith is involved, and that effects many people's lives and decisions.
To be a citizen under one of the rulings is relativly personal depending on your own beliefs. With Judaism if you disobey God will be angry with you but if you disobey a law under Hammurabi's Code then you could potentialy die or get parts of you chopped off. People who are more religious will probably find Judaism more effective since they want to please God so they obey the laws. But others however might think Hammurabi's Code is more efficiant because they would obey the rules out of fear rather then faith.
The two systems, the Code of Hammurabi and Judaism, are both very effective in controlling a popoulation. Hammurabi's Code controlled the population with laws and law enforcement in the form of government. A person living under this form of law would always be living in fear of your actions and their consequences. You would be controlled by fear under Hammurabi's Code.
Jews find God through the law, and under Judaism, there is no need for a law enforcement; the law enforcement is your faith in God. The laws God provided gave structure to society and daily life. A person living under Judaism would be controlled by their faith rather by their fear.
I think that Judaism is more effective due to the fact that your faith can control your personal life as well, because God knows everything, while human law enforcement cannot control what you do inside your home. Judaism is only effective, however, if you are very involved in your faith and extremely religious.
@John-- but the question is about enforcement, right? Because you CAN get away with stuff, they didn't really have a police force.
When people were ruled by Hammurabi's code it was through fear of your leader. You followed the law because you valued your life. In Judaism you follow the law because you value your God. I think Judaism was more effective because God is always watching you and knows exactly what you are thinking. He would know if you did anything wrong. In Hammurabi's time you could do something wrong and get no punishment because you were not caught. I think giving people a reason to be guilty within is much more powerful. I would rather die with the knowledge I am going to heaven and no hands. I think Judaism is a much better way to have law.
@Annie-- I love "faith is bigger than fear." Fantastic.
And I like the idea of willingly obeying the law rather than doing it out of worry about getting killed.
@Shannon-- Good. Clear and thoughtful.
Judaism is mostly based on religon and consequences in the afterlife while Hammurabi's code is mostly based on physical/earthly punishments. Speaking as a non-religous person, Hammurabi's code would probably change what I do more because I would have the option of hands cut off now, or maybe not going to heaven in the future. For me, it would be the options of for sure vs. possibly. For religious people, belief in eternity spent in heaven might make up for the pain/lack of hands.
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i think that the code of hamurabi was a government by force and fear and that Judaism was a government by willfull people. As a citizen i would feel like there is more reason to follow law under Judaism because obeying the law would benefit me. I would believe that pleasing god would be good for my life. Hammurabis code does not directly help me in a way that i could see on a daily basis. Also people can hide from the law in hammurabis case but Jews cant hide from God. Also there is no need for law enforcment and mistrust of people in Judaism. I think that Judaism is more affective because the people will carry the law,because they belive in it and it makes sense to them.
The main difference between Judaism and Hammurabi's code is that Judaism controls people through their faith because they know that the laws are from God and they will want to obey them to gain that connection to God. Hammurabi controlled his people throguh fear of punishment. They followed the law because they were afraid of having their hands cut off or being thrown into the river. I think Judaism would be more effective for me, because as a citizen I would want to be connected to God and have a close relationship with Him by following his law plus God is always watching us so you really cant get away with anything, but not everyone has unyielding faith in God and might be terrified of have their arms cut off or being thrown into the river.
The enforcement was in the afterlife
Judism and Hammurabi’s ways of ruling are different, but deploy separate tactics. For instance, I quote Machiavelli when saying, “Upon this, one has to remark that men ought either to be well treated or crushed, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge.”
By this, Machiavelli explains that you can injure someone so bad that they have no chance of coming back, or you can treat them well, so they like you. Through this, he is telling everyone that people can be ruled through fear or love. These two ways of ruling, Judaism and Hammurabi’s code, are almost opposites. Hammurabi does not mention the way people or the ruler will feel about you, it is punishment, making you fear him. Nobody loved Hammurabi, and this is why his way of ruling worked.
Judaism, however, is almost the opposite. People are brought up to love G_d so much that they do not want to disappoint Him. He is powerful, and though He can punish people after death, people do not live in fear of Him, because it is impossible to hide from him. By using this system, which incorporates love of G_d and will to do whatever he wants, is more effective than ruling with fear, in my opinion. Fear hangs in the balance with a tiny base, unstable-ly, whereas love has a big basis to hold it up and elevate it.
The Hammurabi code makes people think that they have to follow it because of the punishment. The Judaish code makes people follow by religion, they think that they can be closer to god if they follow the laws. The Babylonian is absolutely living in terrifying because of the punishment. They don’t want to die so they do everything carefully. The Jewish people lived in the willing of following god’s thought, that make life easier.
The Hammurabi code is probably more effective because the people would follow it carefully because of the punishment. Even thought the Judaish code was about god, but I think that Hammurabi code is more effective.
The Hammurabi code makes people think that they have to follow it because of the punishment. The Judaish code makes people follow by religion, they think that they can be closer to god if they follow the laws. The Babylonian is absolutely living in terrifying because of the punishment. They don’t want to die so they do everything carefully. The Jewish people lived in the willing of following god’s thought, that make life easier.
The Hammurabi code is probably more effective because the people would follow it carefully because of the punishment. Even thought the Judaish code was about god, but I think that Hammurabi code is more effective.
Although Judaism and the codes of Hammurabi were both ways of ruling and discipline, I think that because of the difference of their root concept, Judaism is/was more effective. Judaism is a religion, that was more easily enforced and dependable because it was adopted by the people to believe and live loyal to. I also think that Judaism’s main figurehead, God, was more intimidating than Hammurabi and his “policemen”. People felt more obligated to obey and respect such a n important and all-seeing figure. Hammurabi’s code was more directed to specific concepts, was enforced by followers and their king, and was not always recognized.
this is alexa
Judaism and the Code of Hammurabi can both be effective if taken into consideration if the target audience is correct. Basically, if you believe in God there is a good chance that Judaism would be more effective. If you do not believe that there is really a god, then it would be more effective to follow the Code of Hammurabi. These are both very effective, but the Code of Hammurabi is able to be applied to everyone no matter what they believe. One advantage that Judaism may have would be the power of faith as opposed to the power of fear. They both can be very effective methods of controlling the population, if used properly. The Code of Hammurabi may have been effective, but the people were much more willing to follow Judaism. Faith has a way of making a much stronger connection and makes the people want to do the right thing rather than be afraid of doing something wrong.
- Sarah Rose
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