Eviction of lessees of urban property

Abstract

During its chequered history on Planet Earth the Human Race has had to face many problems. Undoubtedly one of the greatest of these problems was, and still is, the housing problem, to use a sophisticated and modern term. Housing as a problem of human welfare is as old as the human race itself. Adam and Eve were fortunate enough to find a rent free and large home prepared for them by the Best of Architects. However, they did not appreciate this invaluable gift and soon found themselves wandering homeless in a savage and hostile wilderness. What happened later is buried in the misty past and it is better to leave the matter in the hands of archeologists and historians than to trample with sacrilegious feet on virgin soil. Although we have little idea of the manner of construction which was employed by the primitive races of the world we are not wholly ignorant of the fact that from time to time the housing of the lower economic classes claimed the attention of the rulers. In this connection one might recall that Egyptian hieroglyphic inscriptions inscription dating as far back as 4000 B.C. record a sit down strike of the workers who participated in the building of the pyramids. The results was the first attempt to construct a model town in exchange for a waterproof tomb so essential for the health of the immortal souls of the Pharaohs. Hammurabi the Wise (2190-2150 B.C.), who should be regarded as the codifier rather than the originator of the Summerian Law concentrated his attention to the housing problem and one meets with the following JawruIf a man lease unreclaimed land for three years for cultivation, but has been lazy and has not worked the field; in the fourth year he shall break up the field, hoe it, and sow it, and to the lord of the field restore it. And he shall measure out to him ten gur of corn for each ten gan.