In premodern societies law codes were placed into effect to ensure peace between different social classes as well as among the same social class. Laws in earlier societies paved the way for many of our laws today. A structured government can contribute to prevention of rebellion among classes and generates steady revenue for government officials through certain taxes or punishment monetary fines. Important questions are answered in pinpointing the reason for laws to be put into action in those societies. In addition, the underlying issue in the society at the time and what benefits were entitled to the enforcer of the laws will also be discussed. The Magna Carta, Seventeen Article Constitution, and the Code of the Salian Franks are three documents enforced by rulers for different reasons and few of the same. These three law codes will be analyzed, compared, and contrasted for their important historical contribution to the societies which enforced their respective laws.
In the year 1215, King John, an unpopular ruler was forced to sign the Magna Carta as a peace treaty among the England barons. The Magna Carta was an important document because for the first time in history, it limited the King’s power. It gave independence to the people of England and also acknowledged that the King is also subject to the law. King John
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One being that the seventeen articles of Constitution stressed the importance of moral behavior as opposed solely following a set of laws, as demonstrated in the Magna Carta and the Code of the Franks. “Good faith is the foundation of righteousness, and everything must be guided by good faith. The key to the success of the good and the failure of the bad can also be found in good faith. If the officials observe good faith with one another, everything can be accomplished. If they do not observe good faith, everything is bound to