If you were a new ruler of a kingdom, what would be your first world order?

But you have to take the side of the people and view things from their side....like every civilization there are rich, medium class and the poor. With the poor who can barely afford food they would try to obtain some by stealing. Which by your rules would lead to their hands being chopped off. The ones dumb enough to get caught pay for the crimes but in doing so people will start learning and find ways around your laws and eventually you'll have a kingdom with master theives and rapists and killers what is to stop them from banding together and forming clans of their own

Ruling with an iron fist makes people fear you but some may look to rebel against you. Showing too much compassion makes you soft in people's eyes and they may look to overthrow you cause it would seem easy. But i think the ruler who can balance both is the one who should be feared the most

Well like I said in my last post I said that thefts would be more lenient if it is a matter of need rather than want. Stealing would encompass all of the classes. Even the rich try and steal from the poor and would be met with the same consequences. Well, if you want to learn to be a master thief in my kingdom, you better have a pretty good track record or you will not have any hands left. As far rapist and killers, they would have to simply never be caught, ever. Banding together and forming clans that don't obey the rules would fall under treason and every one of them would be killed. Groups that don't follow the rules of my kingdom would not be tolerated. I understand it may seem like it is ruling with an iron fist, but it isn't. Many of the laws of my kingdom are just things you shouldn't do. The things that are not allowed are things that harm others. My ruling style is very similar to Alexander the Great's.

While I must admit most things @Arc said have a lot to do with how this world's security and behavior issues are handled nowadays, his methods can be found really primitive when dealing with these problems. I would rather be on a dictatorship. See, in order to maintain peace and calm one has to support their ideals and how they see things with reliable sources. Executing fair judgments on people according to their respective situations and causes for crime is the best way to go. For me... being able to do this and to also punish the population as the rules this new found emperor may have stablished is the best way to govern a country. When investigating and studying there must be real sources, that's how real governments also work. Plan, conquer and execute. Don't let anything go pass your sight. Punish, make them obey but also make them think they are not under some kind of oppressive regimen, maybe let them express themselves. Make people work, make industries produce, make the country import. More importantly, balance out and have an updated study on how people think of you. Be more intelligent than anyone, don't let anyone outshine you until you're dead. Also, explote the country on a good way, get rid of debts, just think. This is how I would govern a country. Remember people attack when cornered yet obey when frightened. Humans are predictable, this is how it works. http://data1.whicdn.com/images/33384195/large.gif

Ah yes, dictators....They never have ulterior motives not based on the betterment of their country or fairness and equality for thier people, right?;) Why not let the people decide for themselves what it is that they want? All this controll. If you're people are being forced to submit, they really don't care for you or your ways and your regime's days will be numbered.

I guess that depends on what kind of issues the kingdom is having, what the people want/need and so on. Could be things are running just fine and there's no need for new orders.

I'm sure issues will arise from those kind of changes, but I see nothing but the benefits. Can't afford kids? Don't have them. Give time to yourself and plan, in the meantime contribute to society-don't be its detriment. Be responsible for the lives you bring into the world. Don't want to make the father of your kid responsible because when he's in a good mood he gives you child support under the table or pays your bills? Fine. Literally. Want to stay alive? Don't assault, rape, and murder. Consequences like those will at least give more people food for thought before acting on whims or emotions.

@Kujou-chan Not sure I understand. I'd need to see an example where fear's kept a people under your thumb reliably. From what I've observed it's only put a target on your back. Nothing to stop your second in command from killing you in your sleep. Or rebellions from popping up like popcorn. And those are just the problems within your own boarders. Let alone the enemy at the gates. Of course I guess it depends on which fear you capitalize on. If it's fear of death then people seem eventually become numb to it. Of course fear of your death could be far more powerful.