Law is the system of rules and regulations that control society and are enforced through penalties. It has many purposes, but the four principal ones are establishing standards, maintaining order, resolving disputes and protecting liberties and rights. The precise nature of laws is a subject of ongoing debate.
Some, such as John Austin’s utilitarian school, define law as commands, backed by threats of sanctions, issued by a sovereign to subjects who have a habit of obedience. Others, like Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s natural school, argue that law reflects innate moral and unchanging principles of justice.
Ideally, the law should be clear and understandable, and it should provide protection for people regardless of their wealth or status. Moreover, it should be stable and predictable, enabling individuals to plan with confidence over time. It should also protect against anarchy or the Hobbesian war of all against all, and it should guarantee against at least some types of official arbitrariness.
While the precise definition of law is a subject of continuing debate, scholars generally agree that it includes a set of socially acceptable rules regulating behavior, and enforceable by governmental institutions. It includes not only statutes and ordinances, but also judgments by courts of law and regulations by governmental agencies. The law encompasses both positive and negative rules, but it is primarily concerned with limiting harmful behavior. For example, a person who commits a crime such as robbery or murder, whose victims are members of the public, may be sentenced to prison. Those who inflict harm on the environment or other members of society are also subject to punishment under the law.