The rise and fall of communal responsibility in ancient law
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| Publication date | 2004 |
| Journal | International Review of Law and Economics |
| Volume | Issue number | 24 | 4 |
| Pages (from-to) | 489-505 |
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| Abstract | In ancient societies, rules of communal responsibility permitted the imposition of retaliatory sanctions on a wrongdoer's clan. These rules followed the collective ownership structure of early communities. Over time, notions of personal responsibility emerged, terminating the transfer of responsibility from one member to the whole clan. This paper intends to provide an economic explanation for this transition. |
| Document type | Article |
| Language | English |
| Published at |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irle.2005.01.006
(Final published version)
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