Law is a system of rules and standards that regulates behaviour in society. It aims to keep order in society, promote peace and harmony between people and encourage cooperation. Law is an essential part of a well-run society and has been described as a “normative science”. Its precise definition is a subject of long-standing debate, but it can be broadly defined as a set of rules that individuals must abide by and which govern their interaction with each other. Laws may be made by a legislature, resulting in statutes; by an executive, resulting in decrees or regulations; or by the judiciary, resulting in decisions of courts. Individuals can also create legally binding contracts and arbitration agreements that establish alternative ways of resolving disputes to standard court litigation.
The ideal of a rule-governed society has been an important theme in political thought for millennia. Its defenders have sought to distinguish it from the Hobbesian war of all against all, and have sought to ensure that laws are publicly promulgated and evenly enforced, and that core human, property, contract and procedural rights are guaranteed. It also requires independent judiciaries, transparent government and legal procedures, and checks on the extension of state power that take into account people’s diversity and equality.
In the modern period, it was reshaped by arguments from philosophers such as Aristotle and Machiavelli; during the Enlightenment, by John Locke and James Harrington; in the United States through the Federalist Papers; and by modern thinkers such as Max Weber. Contemporary concerns about the Rule of Law include problems related to the rise of new technologies and their use in government, questions about how to protect privacy and civil liberties, and problems of inequality and discrimination.
Laws are primarily enforced by the state. They may be made by a legislative body, resulting in statutes; by the executive, resulting in decrees and regulations; or by the judiciary, based on precedent (called stare decisis) and creative jurisprudence. The legislative and executive branches of the state often have conflicting priorities, and the law can change rapidly. It is therefore important to have a flexible legal system that allows the judiciary to adapt the rules to changing social needs, and to make clear expressions of rights and duties.
Articles about Law should be easy to read and understand for the general public. Use bullet points and paragraph breaks to break up text, and use jargon sparingly if at all. If you have to use technical legal terms, explain them in plain English for non-legal readers. Scannability is another concern: the average reader will scan the article for key points, and may skip a highly technical section if it does not seem relevant to their interests. Similarly, it is advisable to avoid using overly-long footnotes or endnotes, which can distract from the main point of an article. It is also important to use correct spelling and grammar, and to proofread carefully. If you are unsure about a word or phrase, check it in a dictionary.