¶ … human societies establish laws and social policy: (1) religious, (2) by oligarchy, and (3) by some form of representational government. The source of law, public policy, and (especially) criminal law makes a tremendous difference in the lives of members of the population, because, in principle, it determines whether or not they have any possible input into the rules of society. On a practical level, the source and nature of criminal laws, in particular, can make certain specific behaviors and choices matters that determine liberty and even life or death.
The nation of Iran would be an example of a contemporary nation whose laws and social policies are ruled by religious leaders. The high-ranking ayatollahs have greater authority than the elected leaders and they impose religious rules that determine what behaviors and conduct are acceptable and what behaviors and conduct are criminal. Modern Saudi Arabia represents a mixture of religious authority and oligarchy, because the Saudi royal family determines the laws of the country and relies substantially on religious laws in that regard. Today, Iran criminal law punishes infidelity by stoning and homosexuality by beheading. Saudi Arabia prohibits females from driving and requires females to wear clothing that conceals them almost entirely from view when in public. Prior to the late 19th century, even Britain employed a similar system in which the British Royal Crown mandated allegiance to the Church of England and punished so-called "heretics" harshly, often by death. Conversely, most modern Western societies such as the United States employ a representational democratic or democratic republic form of government that allows the public to input into what laws and public policies govern society. That makes a profound difference in the lives of individuals because the laws of society reflect popular sentiment.
Sources Consulted
Dershowitz, A.M. (2002). Shouting Fire: Civil Liberties in a Turbulent Age. New York:
Touchstone Books.
Schmalleger, F. (2009). Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st
Century. Hoboken, NJ: Prentice Hall.
