The beginning of law in my country (Tge Netherlands) was when the property laws were codified in the so-called common law book (Burgerlijk Wetboek). Now why would you need to define property and contracts and rights around that? Because of trade done via the first worlds multinational the Dutch United East India Company (De Verenigde OostIndie Compagnie). Which ruled international spices trade by force. Try to explain property and ownership to any member of a native tribe and they will conclude you are insane.