Codes of Conduct essays

Codes of Conduct essays Codes of conduct have defined civilization for thousands of years. The early civilizations of the Mesopotamia established rough guidelines for how people were to live their livesthey included prohibitions, regulations, and even penalties for violations. The Babylonians established written law. The Code of Hammurabi set parameters based upon ethic and moral sentiments of the people. Hundreds of years later, the English social philosopher John Locke espoused the idea of the "social contract." Members of a state relinquished some of their rights for the protection of the "whole." In turn, they were subjecting themselves to the written laws (including the punishments) of the state. If there has been one common trend regarding codes of laws throughout the centuries of civilization, it has been the similarity between moral and ethical sentiments of society, and the written law (Fort, 2001). Traditionally, what people have found to be unethical actions have been prohibited (directly or indirectly) by the codes of conduct (Fort, 2001). Also worth noting is the fact that much of what was deemed unethical by early civilizations is similarly viewed today. Thus, codes of conduct have remained relatively the same throughout the history of the world. The most prominent codes deal with what a civilization defines as "criminal activity." Criminal activity can include bodily harm, sabotage, and arson. Almost every code of conduct has included a law against robbery. In his book, "The Logic of the Law," Gordon Tullock writes, "Perhaps the easiest way to make a living, and certainly one of the oldest, is to take another's property" (Tullock, 1987). Tullock goes on to emphasize the prevalence of robbery (and its many forms), and efforts by civilizations to deter it (Tullock, 1987). Here in the United States, we have various laws (varying by state) addressin...