Colonialism and european colonialism in india and africa started off with a lot more respect for indigenous populations. But as the colonial movement continued its sort of heart, their attitudes hardened. And they develope sense of entitlement to people's land. It was an attitude that said we need to give our laws to them - ignoring centuries of treamy hindo and islamic laws which were already there.
Rulers throughout history have used laws to impose order. But laws were not simply instruments of power and social control. They also offered ordinary people a way to express their diverse visions for a better world. The variety of the world’s laws has long been almost as great as the variety of its societies.
In this conversation, Shermer speaks with Oxford professor of the anthropology of law, Fernanda Pirie, who traces the rise and fall of the sophisticated legal systems underpinning ancient empires and religious traditions, showing how common people — tribal assemblies, merchants, farmers — called on laws to define their communities, regulate trade, and build civilizations. What truly unites human beings, Pirie argues, is our very faith that laws can produce justice, combat oppression, and create order from chaos.