Early Greek Lawgivers (Classical World) , by John Lewis

Quick, easy, interesting survey of the emergence of the concepts of justice and equality under law, rather than privileges of aristocracy and princes. Tracing the history of dispute resolution from Homer thru Hesiod to Dracon on to Solon, Lewis shows that while Solon was not the first to wrestle with the issues, he first put forth sufficiently consistent and comprehensive general principles and procedures, with the support of Athenian culture of 6th century BCE, which eventually brought Athens to the pinnacle of Greek culture.

Solon recognized that citizens individually, of all classes and authority, must develop the same sense of justice and lawfulness - notions of what constitutes justice, just procedures, and the value of living by laws - for a populace to prosper and survive without disruptive social strife.

The hubris of officials destroys justice and creates strife. The ability to initiate legal action to correct wrong doing must be open to everyone, not only the aggrieved. Parties must have rights of appeal. Ending slavery for Greeks (e.g., debt slavery).

(All difficult enough for a city-state. How it is possible for large nations is another complexity. Forced education to instill effective reasoning and ethics being a contradiction.)