Law is the set of rules that governs a society and which are enforced by a controlling authority. It’s a complex topic with lots of different ideas about what the law should be and how it should work. Some people think that the law should just be about coercion – making it a force that compels people to do what they are told, regardless of whether it’s a good idea or not. Others think that the law should be a kind of contract between the government and citizens, setting out certain rights and duties that are to be upheld by everyone. Still others believe that the law should be a kind of moral guide, reflecting the social values and ethics that a community wants to see in its citizens.
Articles about Law often look at these deeper dimensions of what is, in effect, a very simple concept. Those who study the law are also interested in the way in which the power that laws exercise is used, and the way that those powers can be abused. For example, if there is a rule that says you must not steal, then stealing is against the law and you could be prosecuted for breaking it.
Other articles about Law may look at the relationship between the law and political structures. For example, the legal profession is an important part of a country’s democracy and there are plenty of interesting articles about the way in which lawyers are trained. Laws about civil liberties – for example, freedom of speech – are a crucial part of any democratic society and there are many articles that look at the way in which these laws have evolved over time.
The law may be studied in the context of the economy, and there are many articles about business and the law. For example, banking and financial regulation lays down rules about the amount of capital that banks must have and how that capital can be invested. Regulation of services such as electricity, gas and water is also a big area of the law.
The law is also studied in the context of human rights, and there are articles about the way in which these laws have developed over time. For example, the way in which people’s right to a fair trial is protected has changed over time. The same is true for the law of evidence which looks at what materials can be presented in court. The law is even examined in the context of international politics, and there are some fascinating articles about how international law has changed over the years. This is particularly true in the area of terrorism and war, and there are some very thought-provoking articles about the ways in which these issues have been dealt with. The laws of international treaties are also explored in detail. These articles may be very technical in their language and they often take a stand on controversial changes to the law.