Law is the set of rules that regulate behavior in a society and is enforced through a controlling authority. It shapes politics, economics, history and society in a variety of ways. Law is a complex and diverse field, covering everything from property rights to censorship to the military and civil service. It can be influenced by a written constitution or an unwritten one, and it may reflect a particular cultural tradition or philosophy of life.
A defining feature of law is the way it establishes order and prevents violence. But its precise definition is subject to debate. It can be interpreted as “commands, backed by the threat of sanctions, from a sovereign to whom people have a habit of obedience.” Other definitions focus on the role of morality or justice. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, for example, argued that laws must be those that promote the most good. John Austin, on the other hand, argued that law is simply the aggregate of commands from a sovereign to whom people have voluntarily agreed to obey.
In modern times, the concept of law has been reshaped by Max Weber and others. The extension of state power over people’s daily lives poses special problems for accountability that earlier writers such as Locke and Montesquieu did not anticipate. It is also influenced by the emergence of large corporations and globalized economies. The rule of law is an important idea that governs the way these institutions interact with each other and the rest of the world.
Legal systems differ widely in their approach to the creation and enforcement of laws. Governmental laws are made by a legislature, resulting in statutes and regulations; by the executive through decrees and regulation; or through precedent, based on judicial interpretations of prior cases, in common law jurisdictions. Private individuals may also create legally binding contracts, including arbitration agreements, that adopt alternative means of resolving disputes to standard court litigation.
Individuals have many different roles in a lawful society, and the nature of the job they do is reflected in the fields of law in which they work. Labour law, for example, refers to the tripartite industrial relationship between worker, employer and trade union, encompassing issues such as wage, hour and working conditions; while employment discrimination law covers the protection of workers from a range of workplace violations. In addition, lawyers can be involved in a number of other fields such as banking, insurance and business management. They can be employed in the public or private sectors, and they can specialise in fields such as corporate, criminal, family, labour or environmental law. Lawyers are also often referred to as solicitors or attorneys. Law is a fascinating and wide-ranging subject that is vital to a well-functioning, stable society. If you’re interested in a career in this area, it might be worth reading up on the qualifications and skills that are needed for a successful legal practice. You might then be able to make an informed decision about which law school to attend and whether you would like to study a degree in this area.
