Legal Definitions - eye for an eye

The phrase "eye for an eye" refers to a principle of justice where the punishment for an offense is equivalent in kind and degree to the harm caused by the offense. It embodies the concept of retributive justice, suggesting that the penalty should directly mirror the crime committed.

Here are some examples illustrating this principle:

• Ancient Legal Codes: In some ancient legal systems, if a builder constructed a house that collapsed and killed the homeowner, the builder himself might face execution. This directly reflects the "eye for an eye" principle, as the builder's life is taken in retribution for the life lost due to his faulty work.

  This example demonstrates how the punishment (loss of life) is considered equivalent to the harm caused (loss of life), aligning with the idea of direct retaliation.

• Childhood Disputes: Imagine two children playing, and one child intentionally breaks the other's favorite toy. A parent, seeking to teach a lesson about consequences, might require the first child to give up one of their own toys of similar value to the child whose toy was broken. While not involving physical harm, the principle of equivalent loss is applied.

  This example illustrates the concept by showing an equivalent form of restitution or loss (a toy for a toy) as a direct consequence of the initial action, even in a non-legal, social context.

• International Economic Sanctions: If one nation imposes specific trade tariffs on goods imported from another nation, the affected nation might respond by imposing identical or very similar tariffs on goods imported from the first nation. This tit-for-tat economic retaliation aims to create an equivalent impact on the aggressor nation.

  This example demonstrates the "eye for an eye" principle in international relations, where a proportional and mirroring response (tariffs for tariffs) is used to balance the scales after an initial action.