How did UruKAgina’s decrees address debt and social inequality in Lagash?

UruKAgina, a ruler of the 1st dynasty of Lagash, implemented decrees aimed at mitigating social injustices that had arisen from tensions between the palace and the temple clergy. His measures addressed debt and economic inequality through several specific actions:12

• Debt Relief: UruKAgina granted delays in the payment of debts and, in some cases, provided for their outright cancellation.1
• Protection of Property: He established prohibitions to prevent socially or economically powerful individuals from forcing their inferiors to sell personal property, such as houses or livestock.1
• Regulatory Reforms: The decrees included new tariff regulations, such as setting fees for burials and weddings, and established precise regulations for the food rations of workers.1
• Restoration of Temple Lands: UruKAgina sought to address the internal structure of the state by reinstating the city god Ningirsu as the owner of fields that had previously been claimed by the ensi (ruler), his spouse, or the crown prince, effectively reassigning these lands to the temple clergy.1

While these inscriptions are often termed "reform texts," scholars note that they reflect a complex political situation where UruKAgina may have been a usurper seeking to secure his position by defending the interests of the clergy against the palace.1