Law is the set of rules governing human conduct that are enforced by social or governmental institutions to ensure social stability and order. It serves four principal purposes: establishing standards, maintaining order, resolving disputes and protecting liberties and rights. Law covers a wide range of subjects including criminal law, civil law, administrative law and intellectual property rights. The term is also used to refer to the professions of legal advising, judicial proceedings and government enforcement.
The precise nature of law is a subject of debate. It has been described as a discipline, a body of rules, an art and even as a religion. In modern times, the law is often perceived as a system of control that governs a society in accordance with a common set of values and priorities.
While laws are generally designed to prevent conflict and promote order, they are not always successful in achieving this goal. The law may create unintended consequences that undermine its own purpose and result in anarchy or chaos. The extent to which the law can be effective in promoting order and preventing conflict depends on a number of factors, including the ability to determine what is and is not “reasonable” by interpreting legal precedent and the ability to define a clear, objective set of rules.
The law can be defined in a variety of ways, and the specific definition that a jurisdiction uses will often depend on the ethos and history of its culture, connections with other countries and its adherence to international standards. The law may be categorized as common law or civil law, though the distinction has lost some importance as many modern legal systems have adopted elements from both common and civil law traditions.
A common law legal system is based on court rulings, which are precedent-setting and can be changed by subsequent decisions. This style of law is largely used in England and Wales, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. The legal system in most of continental Europe is a civil law one, which is based on statutes and case law.
Law has been a major source of controversy and social conflict throughout history. The principles underlying the law are constantly being redefined, as new challenges and issues emerge that earlier thinkers, such as John Austin or Jeremy Bentham, could not have foreseen.
Modern problems that have emerged in relation to the law include the increasing scale and complexity of international trade, which necessitates more specialised laws. In addition, the development of private companies which manage public services and utilities means that they are bound by a degree of legal responsibility that did not exist in earlier years. It is increasingly important for the law to be able to adapt to these changes. This is one of the reasons why the law is continually evolving and changing. This makes it an exciting and challenging field of study. It is also a popular career choice for young people, with the law being one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy.