Law is a system of rules and guidelines that are enforced by a sovereign state, government or other authority. The law shapes politics, economics, history and society in various ways and acts as a mediator of relations between people. It deals with societal views of justice, morality, reason and order on the one hand, and legal issues such as consistency, fairness, transparency and impartiality on the other. Laws are often adjusted and justified in light of changes to the social environment, while their evolution throughout the history of different civilizations provides interesting insights into the nature of legal systems.

The concept of law is complex and diverse, and there are many controversies regarding its interpretation and application. The question of whether or not there is such a thing as the “rule of law” is still a matter of debate, as are questions about the proper balance between the freedoms and rights that the constitution promises to its citizens and those obligations which the state has a duty to uphold.

There are various definitions of the term “law.” John Austin, for example, argues that law is the aggregate of those commandments and principles which the ruling power of an organized jural society proclaims to be its will in its relation to the conduct of its members as political subjects. This definition of law includes not only written statutes and ordinances but also judicial decisions and customary practice and procedure. It is a definition that allows for a certain amount of subjective judgment to be applied by judges, and it leaves room for debate as to what kinds of laws should actually be considered as legal.

A key element of the rule of law is that it should be stable, in the sense that it should be possible for people to anticipate the consequences of their actions and plan accordingly. This is a protection against the Hobbesian “war of all against all” and it should be the primary goal of any governing body, whether its a monarchy, an absolute dictatorship or a constitutional republic.

The study of law is a broad field which encompasses many areas of specialization. Some examples are criminal law, administrative law, labor law, property law and evidence law. Each of these fields have their own set of definitions, terms and controversies. For instance, labor law deals with the tripartite industrial relationship between worker, employer and trade union and involves the regulation of wages, health and safety policies, and strikes. Property law concerns ownership and transfer of private property. Evidence law is the field of determining which materials are admissible in court for a case to be built. The controversies surrounding each of these fields are rich and varied. The law is an important part of any well-functioning society, and it’s a fascinating subject to study in depth. The Oxford Reference Encyclopedia offers comprehensive, authoritative, and accessible coverage of the law and its many facets. Our encyclopedic articles, concise definitions and extensive notes are designed to meet the needs of researchers at every level.