Law is a set of rules established and enforced by governments that citizens must follow. Law is commonly made by a legislative body, resulting in statutes and regulations; by the executive through decrees and orders; or by judges through precedent in common law jurisdictions. The legal system also includes privately created contracts and arbitration agreements that are legally binding. The law covers all aspects of human activity and is an important element of social order, including civil rights, property, finance, business and the environment.
The definition of law is a complex subject, and different writers have developed many different ideas and theories. One popular theory is that the law exists to serve the needs of society. Another idea is that the law is coercive, a tool for social engineering. Roscoe Pound studied the concept of law and came up with his own definition:
The study of law is about more than just a list of rules. It also involves thinking about how the laws are implemented and what their purpose is, and how they affect us as individuals. It is important to think about the nature of law – whether it is morality or not – and what kind of power it has over people. There are a number of questions that come up when studying the law, such as whether people of all classes have equal access to the law and its enforcement. There is also the question of whether core human and property rights are protected, and how to deal with transitions of power.