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

Scott reviews David Friedman's book on unconventional legal systems, exploring how different societies have developed unique ways to enforce laws and resolve conflicts without centralized government. Longer summary

This book review explores David Friedman's 'Legal Systems Very Different From Ours', which examines various historical and contemporary legal systems that differ significantly from modern state-run systems. The review highlights how these systems, from medieval Iceland to Gypsy communities, solve problems of law enforcement and conflict resolution without a centralized state. It discusses the economic incentives and cultural evolution that shape these systems, and how they often rely on community enforcement rather than imprisonment. The review also touches on the book's optimistic view of cultural evolution and its relevance to current debates about police and government reform. Shorter summary