The Constitution of Babylon Government

by Lea Celik Sommerseth Shaw

Motto:
“There is No friend like God and in God we trust.”

Preamble

From the banks of the Euphrates where the first cities rose, humanity learned that law could transform chaos into civilization. In Babylon, the world’s earliest code of justice declared that the strong must not oppress the weak, and that rulers are but guardians of order, not masters of men.

We, inheritors of that legacy, affirm that governance in the modern age must remain faithful to those first principles: justice before power, knowledge before ignorance, and community before tyranny.

Stability arises not from fear, but from wise governance, clear rules, and the shared trust of the people. True strength lies in giving all individuals equal rights and opportunities, and in shaping government with the people, not above them.

As the first civilization gave humanity its earliest constitution, Babylon Government renews that ancient covenant: to govern transparently, fairly, and with enduring respect for the natural order of life and the dignity of all people.

Articles of Governance

Article I – Justice as the Eternal Foundation

As Hammurabi once inscribed, “to cause justice to prevail in the land” is the first duty of rulers.

1. No citizen shall be deprived of dignity, equality, or protection under law.

2. Courts shall serve the people with impartiality, echoing the first clay tablets of judgment.

3. Corruption shall be named as injustice — the gravest betrayal of civilization.

Article II – Law Above Power

In ancient Babylon, kings carved laws in stone so none could alter them.

1. No ruler, no office, no institution shall rise above the law.

2. Power exists only to serve justice, not to escape it.

3. Leaders who betray this principle shall be judged as enemies of the people.

Article III – Order Through Wisdom

Babylon endured because knowledge guided rule, not fear.

1. Governance shall be guided by wisdom, counsel, and the collective voice of the people.

2. Records and archives — once clay tablets, now digital — shall preserve transparency and accountability.

3. Order must be sustained by trust, not terror.

Article IV – Freedom Through Order

The first cities learned that freedom cannot flourish in chaos.

1. Liberty is the right to live without oppression, poverty, or unjust constraint.

2. Freedom shall not be twisted to justify violence or exploitation.

3. True freedom is achieved only where justice and order prevail together.

Article V – Knowledge as Sovereignty

In Mesopotamia, scribes preserved the memory of mankind — knowledge was power.

1. Truth, scholarship, and open record-keeping shall remain the lifeblood of governance.

2. Education is a right of all citizens and the shield of civilization.

3. Deception by the state shall be forbidden, for lies erode sovereignty.

Article VI – Cultural Unity and Diversity

Babylon was a crossroads where many peoples thrived under one law.

1. Government shall protect cultural diversity as a source of strength.

2. Unity shall be achieved through justice, never through forced assimilation.

3. Dialogue among peoples and nations shall be a permanent practice of governance.

Article VII – Guardianship of the Future

The ancient canals of Mesopotamia sustained life for generations.

1. Resources, knowledge, and heritage must be preserved for the unborn as much as for the living.

2. Environmental stewardship is a sacred duty of governance.

3. All decisions must honor the long horizon of humanity.

Article VIII – Transparency and Integrity

The first laws were carved in stone so that all could see.

1. The Constitution is the unchanging foundation of Babylon Government, safeguarding its eternal principles.

2. Governance shall be conducted openly, with records accessible to the people.

3. Lobbying, secret influence, and the purchase of power are forbidden.

Article IX – Respect for Natural Order

The ancients aligned their cities with the stars, respecting cosmic balance.

1. Government shall not forcibly alter the natural structure of society but honor organic order and human evolution.

2. Progress must harmonize with natural law, not oppose it.

3. Civilizations endure only when they move with, not against, the rhythms of nature.

Article X – Equal Opportunity and Trust in People

The ziggurats of Babylon were built by many hands — civilization is the work of all.

1. Every citizen shall have equal rights and a fair foundation to grow, learn, and prosper.

2. Government shall trust in the wisdom and creativity of the people as the true strength of the state.

3. Policies must empower individuals and communities, never weaken or control them.

Closing Declaration

As the first civilization gave law to mankind, so Babylon Government renews that promise in the modern age: to govern not through domination, but through justice; not through secrecy, but through transparency; not for rulers alone, but for all people.

Righteousness is our first law.
Order is our strength.
Freedom is our promise.