Characteristics of "The People's Law"

1. The people considered themselves as a commonwealth of free men.

2. All decisions are made with consent (usually a concensus) of the people.

3. Their laws were considered "natural law," inspired by divine compensation.

4. Power was dispersed amongst the people, never allowed to concentrate in any person or group.

5. Primary power to resolve problems rested first in the individual, then family, then community, then region, and as a last resort, the nation.

6. Every adult had a voice and vote; leaders were selected for units of 10 families, then 50 families, then 100 families, and then 1000 families.

7. Individual rights were considered unalienable and could not be violated without the wrath of divine justice and retribution by the people's judges.

8. The system of justice is structured upon severe punishment, unless complete reparation was made to the wronged individual.

9. If possible, problems were solved at the level they originated; else they went to next higher level.

[Reference: W. Cleon Skousen, The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World. Published by the National Center for Constitutional Studies, 2006]