What Is Law?
Law is the set of rules a government or other authority creates and enforces to govern people’s behaviour and protect their interests. It is a complex concept, and people have many different ideas about what law is. The precise definition of law is a matter of debate, and it is often described as an ‘art’ as well as a ‘science’.
Law covers a huge range of topics, from the everyday rules we live by, such as driving on the left-hand side of the road, to the laws that govern the rights of workers or property owners. There are laws that apply to everyone (generally called public law), and there are laws that only apply to certain groups of people, such as children or drivers. Law also includes the ways people can settle disputes and decide whether or not someone is guilty of a crime.
People have been creating and enforcing laws for thousands of years. The oldest known written laws come from ancient Egypt and the Code of Hammurabi, which was chiseled in stone around 1760 BC. Today, most countries have a constitution for the overall framework of law and then make further laws for specific matters. In general, people have enough freedom within the law to do most things they want to do. Those who don’t follow the law risk punishment, such as fines or imprisonment.
The law is a living thing that adapts to social and political situations over time. It contains elements that are ancient, such as coroners’ courts with an 800-year history, and elements that are very modern, such as judges who use laptop computers in court. Law is also a hugely diverse subject, with many different types of law and countless specialised areas. For example, intellectual property law deals with the rights people have over things they create, such as art, music and literature – this type of law is sometimes called copyright. It also deals with the rights people have to inventions – this is called patent. And it covers the names people use for their companies – this is called trademark.
There are lots of lively debates about how the law should be interpreted and applied. For example, there is a big debate about whether judges should be allowed to use their own sense of right and wrong when deciding cases. There is a strong belief that this could help the justice system be more fair.
The legal profession is one of the most fascinating and challenging areas to work in. It is a career that has long attracted people with a passion for change and a desire to defend the rights of others. It is also a very varied and exciting area of work, with new technologies making it possible to provide services to people who may not be able to afford them otherwise. It is a career that can offer great rewards for those who are successful and passionate about their work.