A key component of any civilization is in the way the people live. During the earliest civilizations, the concept of leadership in controlling vast territories of citizens or subjects was still in its infancy. New ideas and theories as to how it would be best to lead had arisen, with different cultures trying different techniques. Three men from very different cultural worlds, Hammurabi, Gautama, and Confucius, would each have a say in how the lives of their peoples should be administered, and how it could be done.
Hammurabi was a Babylonian king who after 14 years of conquest, had been able to control a large portion of Mesopotamia. The act of conquering was not so much a problem for Hammurabi, as his large and efficient army gained strength with each victory. Controlling the populace was a different matter entirely, as each city state preferred to be ruled by itself. Hammurabi in turn used a from of leadership consisting of harsh laws and retribution. He knew that small arguments could lead to riots, therefore he implemented laws which everyone can follow, and would provide some stabability within the cities. The harsh laws also controlled the populace through ‘fear’ in a way, because to stand against the government could result in serious injury or death. Hammurabi also realized the need for efficiency in irrigation in order to keep the people fed. The laws he implemented forced efficiency onto the people, and in turn resulted in fewer internal problems within the small empire Hammurabi controlled.
Confucius grew up during the time of the Warring States in China. As a young man growing up he noticed that the major reason in the overall lack of peace and prosperity in the country was poor leadership. Those charged with leading the people were more interested in leading their own lavish public lives. Confucius came to the conclusion that what the country needed were leaders with strong virtues. If a leader could control his own family well, and was well versed in literature and history, they could perhaps govern the people better. While Confucius insisted on the people themselves acting on terms of individualism, he did not want a democracy, but for the people to follow the teachings of individual duty and strong relationships in the community, and for this to work the people would need a strong role model in the form of the virtuous leader.
Within the readings, it was rather difficult to really see a political idea within Gautama. Around age 20-30, as the story goes, he discovered for the first time human suffering and pain. His sympathy for the ill and depressed led him to go on an enlightened path. In the course of the journey, he discovered that human suffering and pain were products of human need and desire. Therefore, it was obvious to Gautama that the onlyway to rid oneself of suffering was to get rid of need. Gautama insisted that people focus on the self, that by being virtuous and doing good deeds a human can stop the cycle of rebirth and thus end his suffering. While Hammurabi and Confucius were focused on Central governments who led the people, Gautama seemed more focused on the individuals saving themselves.