Succeeding peoples have added, re-interpreted and either advanced or restrained civilization, in accordance with their own needs, ever since.
History, in our case Western History to be more precise, is a series of adaptations, re-examination, modification and then implementation of ideas given to us by preceding generations starting with the first, Sumeria. All that we do today, including our very special Judeo/Christian religion has its origins in Sumeria. The idea and questions regarding government…do we need a government, why we need it, what is its form to take and what are its responsibilities to us and what are ours to it…were all first asked 6000 years ago in the world's first cities. Succeeding peoples have added, re-interpreted and either advanced or restrained civilization, in accordance with their own needs, ever since.