Law is a body of rules that governs the conduct of a society. It is often enforced through a controlling authority that imposes penalties for violations. The study of laws and legal systems is called jurisprudence. A career in law is a popular choice for many young people.
The governing bodies of most countries use law to regulate businesses, impose taxes and protect citizens from tyranny or oppression. Some people believe that a country with a good rule of law is more peaceful and prosperous than one without. The rules of law can vary widely from place to place. Some of them reflect the customs and practices of a culture, while others are based on the principles of a particular religious tradition or scholarly school of thought.
Some of the most significant legal developments in history occurred during the 18th and 19th centuries, when European nations formed empires around the world. These expansions were often accompanied by war and the imposition of a particular type of law, which became known as colonial law. Some of these laws are still in force today in regions that were once part of the European nation states.
Other areas of law include administrative, criminal, civil and family law. Depending on the jurisdiction, some of these laws are codified by government agencies, while others are judge-made. The United States, for example, employs a common law system in which laws are derived from case decisions and written in statutes. In contrast, some countries, such as Japan, have a civil law system in which laws are established through written codes.
Another important aspect of the law is due process. This concept was first formulated by Magna Carta, which recognised that a person’s fate should not be in the hands of a single individual and that all people must have access to justice. Due process has become a cornerstone of the U.S. Constitution and the laws of most other countries.
A third area of law is commercial, which includes banking law and the regulation of utilities like water, gas and energy. These laws usually set minimum standards for business or establish best practice, such as a requirement to disclose information about products or services. Other types of commercial law include intellectual property, which covers patents and copyrights, and competition law.
Philosophers have debated the role of law in society for thousands of years. A utilitarian argument, exemplified by John Austin’s definition of law as “commands backed by the threat of sanctions from a sovereign to which people have a natural habit of obedience,” has long been dominant in Western thinking. But other philosophers, including Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Max Weber, have reshaped thinking about the scope of law. They have argued that some laws are morally binding and reflect natural principles of social order. These ideas have become reflected in the legal systems of many countries and in international conventions and treaties. For more on the philosophy of law, see law, philosophy of.