Laws are a set of rules that governmental institutions enforce. They serve to protect human rights and to ensure the procedural and property rights of individuals. In general, these laws are enforced by courts.
A law can be made by a government, a group legislature, or a judge. It can also be created by private actors, such as companies and partnerships.
Laws are an important part of the social fabric, as they are a way to keep the peace in a country and to provide orderly social change. For example, the law of taxation regulates income and value added taxes. Another example is water law, which deals with the provision of utilities.
Although law has an effect on society, it is not a reason for why things happen. If a person breaks the law, he is subject to penalties. Similarly, breaking social rule has a different set of consequences.
Rule of Law is a formal concept that focuses on the independence of the judiciary and the accountability of government officials. This concept has been a central political ideal throughout millennia.
However, excessive emphasis on the Rule of Law can cause people to feel anxious in uncertain times. It can also discourage independent moral thought and lead to distrust of individual judgments.
Modern theories of the rule of law continue to focus on the complex nature of this concept. These theories are concerned with the way in which the law serves to promote good rather than evil.