Law is the system of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members. It may include a body of laws, codes, or regulations that define what is and is not permissible in public life, or a specific field of legal practice such as criminal, civil, or family law. The study of law includes the history of these bodies, their evolution and development over time, and the societal values and morality that underlie them.
Having the power to make and enforce laws, or being legally recognized as having such power, is an important characteristic of any nation-state (as these are sometimes called). The law defines who can and cannot rule over a given area. A government that does not have the law’s backing cannot be trusted, and in extreme cases can become a source of oppression (e.g., Burma, Zimbabwe, or Iraq under Saddam Hussein). Conversely, a nation that is overrun by outsiders does not necessarily have the law’s backing either, as it is often subject to its foreign rulers’ whims and desires.
The purpose of the law is to set standards, maintain order, resolve disputes, and protect liberties and rights. Some systems of law do this more effectively than others. A nation ruled by an authoritarian regime may keep the peace, but it can also oppress minorities and other political opponents. A democratic regime on the other hand, is not necessarily a bastion of liberty; a parliamentary democracy such as the United States has many checks and balances that limit its legislative authority.
Legal systems differ in the structure and types of laws that they produce, and the languages and terminology used to describe them. Across the world, there are a number of different legal traditions: Common law is the basis of much of England and Australia; Islamic law is the primary legal tradition in Saudi Arabia; and a civil code was developed by the German Empire. In addition, each region of the world has its own indigenous legal tradition as well.
Some of the main fields of law are administrative, contract, and family law; immigration and nationality law; tort, property, and intellectual property law; criminal law; and constitutional law. Each of these areas has its own specialized vocabulary and terminologies, as do subfields such as biolaw and international law. Contract law refers to agreements between individuals or organizations, property law is the set of rules that govern people’s rights and duties toward tangible or intangible property (e.g., land or a car), and tort law covers damages for injuries to persons or property caused by another person or entity. The term “law” also refers to the general principles that govern a particular area of law, such as the principle of stare decisis, which means that decisions made by higher courts are binding on lower courts for similar cases, and judicial precedent helps to ensure consistency of court rulings. Legal history provides insight into the evolution of laws, documenting adjustments and justifications from a wide range of societal and judicial viewpoints.