The Evolution of Terms and Conditions

By: M. Gilchrist

Since humans have existed, we have always set a basis of rules and norms between each other for our survival. This could be applied to over 2 million years ago when humans only chance at survival was to hunt as a people, if we were to hunt or try to survive by ourselves, we would die almost instantly. The only way for us to pursue huge animals in the Ice age was through to our ability of teamwork, for this to work we would also need certain standards.

As humans evolved and human population began to grow, we created communities which, despite being relatively small compared to today, had to create ‘contracts’ so that these societies could thrive. When the agricultural revolution began around 10,000 BCE, people needed to be set specific jobs, some would work on crops while others would raise livestock. In this case terms & conditions would lead people work in exchange for food and protection.

Terms and conditions were crucial for humans to move beyond the nuclear family because if one to cooperate, collaborate and trade with a person with a person with they don’t have an emotional attachment to, in order for there to be trust between the two parties an agreed upon set of rules. Without these rules it would be impossible to organize a group of more than 5 or 10 people and build the societies we have today.

Throughout time terms & conditions have expanded and been agreed upon by larger scales of groups. The Greek city states expanded into the nations states of the Middle Ages and intern to the global empires of the early 20th century. After the Second World War a global set of terms and conditions were agreed upon: the universal declaration of human rights, the world trade organization and the international courts of justice.

All in all, terms and conditions are the basis of society since Homo sapiens took control of the earth, and without anarchy presides.