Law

• Wherever people form groups, they need to make rules. Without clearly defined rules, the only law would be survival of the strongest (Law of the jungle)
• Rule: Apply only to a specific group
• Law: Legal rules that apply to everyone who lives in the society. Punishments are more severe (made by government)
• Functions

  1. Establish rules of Conduct

  • reduces conflict and creates a safe place to live
  • laws must be enforced to be effective
  • "Nothing is illegal unless you get caught"
  • ex. Highway traffic Act
• Functions

  2. Protects Rights and Freedoms

  • the police and courts do this by changing people who have broken the law
  • Both law makelawmakersrs AND enforcers are limited by "constitutional law"
  • this limits the power of the government
• Functions

  3. Protects People

  • laws set out to ensure people are not abused
  • Ex. Your boss tells you to work 18 hours a day during holidays
• Everything you do is governed by rules/laws

  • those rules made by the Government or the courts are called "laws"
  • Laws resemble morality - they are designed to control or alter our behaviour
  • Unlike morality, laws are enforced by the courts
  • Fines, damages, prison
• The rule of Law:

  The law applies to every person, including members of police and other public officials
• Goals of Laws

  • Govern our conduct
  • Give effect to social policies (healthcare, injured workers)
  • Provide fairness
  • Ensure that strong groups and individuals dondon'tt use their powerful positions in society to take unfair advantage of the weaker individuals
• Why do we need rules?

  Without clearly defined rules the only law would be survival of the strongest.
• The system of law and justice:

  • Laws can and do change
  • Laws reflect the changing needs of society