What Is Law?
Law is a set of rules that governs human behavior, shapes politics, economics and society in many ways. It consists of contract law, property law, trust law, criminal law and constitutional law among others. It is enforceable through institutions and raises issues concerning equality, fairness and justice. It also covers the professions that deal with advising people about the law and representing them in court.
A law is something that a government makes and enforces in order to regulate the actions of its citizens. Typically, laws are about things that are considered wrong and punishable such as murder. For example, stealing from shops is against the law and could result in being fined or sent to prison. Laws can be a part of a national or international system and are generally enforced by police or other governmental agencies.
The term ‘law’ can also be used to refer to a particular branch of the law such as intellectual property law or business law. The law can also be used to describe the way a country’s judicial system operates, with debates taking place over whether judges should be above politics or not.
Some philosophers have argued that there is only one true law, or natural law, which exists outside of human creation. This law is universal and can be found in all natural objects such as an apple falling from a tree because of gravity or the fact that it takes more energy to move a heavier object than a lighter one. However, this concept is often disputed as being too simplistic and it would seem that there are other factors that influence the behaviour of objects that we do not understand such as quantum mechanics.
Other philosophers have argued that there are various types of laws that exist, depending on the context in which they are created and applied. For example, Sir Edward Coke suggested that there was the law of nature (divine law), the law of men (man’s laws), and municipal law (the law in a city or other geographic area). Thomas Aquinas took this view further with his notion of God’s general will, which was the source of all laws.
The law can be viewed as a tool that serves four main purposes: establishing standards, maintaining order, resolving disputes and protecting liberties and rights. It is important that the processes by which the law is made, administered and adjudicated are transparent, stable and equitable and reflect the makeup of the population they serve. The rule of law is a key element of democracy and protects individual liberty, equality and accountability. It is also important that the law is clear, publicly available and applied evenly by a professional and impartial judicial system. The rule of law also prevents the arbitrary exercise of power by individuals such as a monarch or a junta. This prevents tyranny and dictatorship. It is essential that the rule of law is not undermined by corrupt officials, civil wars or other events that could lead to a breakdown in the political process and legal systems.