Law is a system of rules created and enforced by social or governmental institutions to control behavior. It is the foundation of a society and influences governance, commerce, relationships, and personal rights. Law can be interpreted in a variety of ways, with different viewpoints relating to its morality, rationality, and order.
Laws can be imposed by groups of people through legislation, resulting in statutes; by the executive, resulting in decrees and regulations; or established by judges through precedent, called the “doctrine of stare decisis” in common law jurisdictions. In addition, individuals can create legally binding contracts, such as arbitration agreements that adopt alternative dispute resolution techniques to standard court litigation.
Many legal scholars argue that the concept of law requires some level of morality in order to be effective and legitimate. This notion of law incorporates a sense of right and wrong, and the idea that laws should be fair and just to all members of a community. This interpretation of law is also known as the natural law theory and was popularized by the philosopher Jeremy Bentham.
The exact definition of law is a controversial topic, with debates ranging from its precise nature to how it should be enforced. Some see it as a collection of commands, backed by the threat of sanctions, from a sovereign to whom people have a habit of obedience, while others like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Thomas Aquinas, who posited a philosophy of natural law, believe that societal norms, such as the principle of justice, are universally applicable and reflect innate human principles.
Law covers a broad array of subjects, from marriage and divorce proceedings to the legal rights of children and their parents. Law can also refer to the body of knowledge and skills that is used to practice law, such as the Juris Doctor degree or other legal qualifications.
Law also includes the set of legal rules that govern a nation-state’s relationship to other nations. This branch of law is called international law, and it is the basis for treaties and agreements between nations. In this way, the law relates to the global economy, international diplomacy, and the development of international organizations, such as the United Nations. In addition, law can refer to specific governmental activities and restrictions, such as censorship, criminal activity and punishment, and military operations.