Scott Alexander shares fascinating excerpts from 'Legal Systems Very Different From Ours', highlighting unique aspects of various historical and cultural legal systems. Longer summary

This post is a collection of interesting passages from David Friedman's book 'Legal Systems Very Different From Ours'. It covers a wide range of historical and cultural legal systems, including ancient Chinese law, Jewish law, Islamic Sharia, medieval Icelandic government, Somali law, English pardons, Gypsy customs, Amish communities, Plains Indian customs, and Athenian legal practices. The passages highlight unique aspects of these systems, such as unusual punishments, creative interpretations of religious law, and innovative solutions to legal problems. The author presents these examples with a mix of fascination and occasional humor, drawing attention to the ingenuity and sometimes counterintuitive nature of different legal approaches. Shorter summary