Law is a set of rules and practices that are enforced by governmental or social institutions to regulate human behavior. Societal viewpoints on law often reflect on ideas like order, morality, and justice. Laws can be written, as in statutes and regulations; or made by a group legislature, resulting in laws called legislation; or established through judicial precedent (as in the case of common law). The term law also applies to a profession based on such principles, like that of a lawyer or judge.
In a society, law serves to control and direct social behavior, maintain the status quo, promote the common good, and ensure the survival of human life. Its underlying assumptions, however, may not always be obvious. A nation ruled by an authoritarian government, for example, may keep the peace and protect its citizens, but it may also oppress minorities or political opponents. A democracy may preserve individual rights, but it can also fail to provide social justice or prevent corruption.
Many different schools of thought have shaped the concept of law. Hans Kelsen proposed a “pure theory of law” in which the law does not describe what must occur, but defines the rules that individuals must abide by. This view contrasts with the traditional view of law as a descriptive science that describes forces operating in a society and the outcomes they produce.
A legal system is an elaborate social framework that governs a country’s relationships, governance, commerce and more. Its underlying assumptions may be based on ancient custom, modern philosophy or even religious traditions. Some of these systems have been supplanted by newer ones, such as those based on the United Nations Charter and the European Convention on Human Rights.
The field of law is incredibly broad and includes many subtopics. Labor law, for example, encompasses the tripartite industrial relationship between worker, employer and trade union, with regulations covering everything from health and safety to a minimum wage. Criminal and civil procedure law refer to the rules that must be followed as trials and appeals proceed. Evidence law involves the rules that dictate what materials are admissible in court cases.
There are also laws that govern the legal system itself, such as how courts are run and how they decide cases. A big debate is raging, for instance, over whether judges should be able to use their own sense of what is fair and reasonable in deciding cases.
The word law is widely used in English, including in idioms such as “be a law to yourself” and “take the law into one’s own hands.” The word has also been adopted by other languages. The earliest known usage of the term is from a 1000-year-old Norse text. The name was originally derived from the word lag, meaning “fixed tune.” This is not to be confused with the Latin word for law, lege, which is the root of our modern spelling. See also Law, American Heritage Idioms Dictionary.