What We Mean by Law and Society
Laws have always held a vital place in the structure and organization of society. For as long as communities have existed, people have had to draw lines and regulate behaviors in a way that keeps order and morale among the population. Even the earliest individuals to have gathered into groups and formed simple civilizations understood this vital social need. In order for any type of successful social structure to exist, laws are required. Otherwise, people would devolve into chaos and corruption.
Laws serve as the moral compass of our community. As a social system, our world is only as strong as the foundation upon which we build our individual lives. Attention to the rules and regulations that help shape us as a society is one of the most important things we can do in order to create a safe and secure future for ourselves and generations to come.
There are dozens upon dozens of examples of basic laws that provide the structure of civilized societies. In order to understand the importance of law and order , all one has to do is think of the practicality of a world without them. For example, imagine a company with no policies. If there are no policies, there are no guidelines for employees to follow. If there are no guidelines for employee conduct, employees cannot be reprimanded or terminated for misbehaving. If there is no punishment for bad behavior, there is nothing to deter employees from being openly and continually insubordinate or illegal in their actions.
For these reasons and more, laws have a crucial role in individual lives and the growing of civilizations. Without a structured, organized society with rules and regulations that are enforced, many people would behave in a way that causes serious harm to others.
Keeping Society Orderly and Avoiding Havoc
Laws serve a critical purpose in maintaining order and preventing turmoil. Without respect for societal norms and restrictions, anarchy would abound. Human nature is rooted in self-serving interests that would pit one individual against another for personal gain. While this might be an acceptable business philosophy, disregarding the importance of laws and regulations that form the framework for civilized society is ultimately a rejection of mankind’s highest moral principals. To illustrate how a lack of law leads to chaos, consider the case of someone who considers visiting the home of a friend or family member abroad and having free reign to take whatever they want. By way of personal commentary on such behavior, anarchy prevails when laws and, even more important, common sense are not respected. Abusing the trust and hospitality of individuals that provide succor to those traveling abroad by helping to build a bridge across the chasm of language and culture divides adds insult to injury. By way of contrast, consider the impact of laws and regulations that not only keep visitors within reasonable guardrails of their visit within other nations, but also penalize those that dare cross the boundaries of civilized behavior. Abandoning the lines drawn by laws and going beyond them into the realm of lawlessness creates chaos and a breakdown in civilized society. When people fail to respect the rules set forth by nations and are allowed to take what they want, a return to the Stone Age occurs and survival becomes the primary focus.
Safeguarding Rights and Freedoms
The concept of justice and equality is at the core of our civil society, and to ensure that it is protected, laws must be in place. Without laws, there would be no way to tackle discrimination other than through vigilante justice, which would only lead to chaos. Fortunately, laws are in place to protect vulnerable individuals from abuse and unfair treatment.
The importance of protection of rights and liberty cannot be understated, as it ensures that the law applies to all individuals equally and promotes equality by treating everyone the same. Laws should protect against unfair treatments at the workplace, physical, sexual and emotional abuse, and discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. These all fall under human rights, which is a staple of most comprehensive legal systems.
For centuries, many governments across the world have exercised selective control over society. They have subjected certain individuals and groups to discrimination and abuse, violating their basic human rights. This led to the evolution of laws that protect individual rights, and their implementation is essential to any civilized society.
Laws are the avenue through which these protections are guaranteed, with protection extending to both physical and emotional abuses. This vital section of the legal mechanism ensures that everyone remains protected from acts of injustice within social or financial settings, such as the workplace. It is for this reason that laws have been put in place to protect against all forms of discrimination.
Encouraging Justice and Fairness
The Importance of Laws in Society: Essential Foundations for Order and Justice
At the heart of most legal systems is a desire for justice and fairness. Laws are established to safeguard certain inalienable rights, whether a citizen or public official breaks the law, the system of justice upholds those rights. Most legal systems include provisions that provide equal access and protection under the law. For example, most modern legal systems contain provisions that: Protecting the rights of citizens ensures justice will prevail and maintian stalwart society.
Assisting in Social Alterations
In addition to establishing social order, laws can act as a catalyst for social change. They can alter societal norms and challenge ingrained habits in pursuit of justice and equality. Laws change as society progresses towards a more fair world. For instance, the abolition of slavery was achieved through a common law process that involved legal reform. The emancipation of slaves in America occurred when congress passed an amendment to abolish slavery. Although slavery had been abolished earlier in other parts of the world, the common law process was a modern method of ending the egregious practice .
Other examples of important legal reforms are those that helped establish civil rights or ended segregation. These created a unified society and are celebrated in the United States. Environmental laws are another example of laws that can facilitate social change. Such laws are put in place to protect the environment and improve the state of the earth. By creating laws that prevent polluting the earth, the government is certainly taking on a big task, which is necessary to preserve our planet.
Promoting Good Behavior
A central function of laws and regulations is to invite individuals and organizations to act and behave in responsible ways. This can be accomplished through a number of different means. Most simply, laws can establish behavioral and performance expectations. So-called "command and control" regulations do exactly this, establishing minimum standards and baseline expectations: CFCs cannot be used in refrigerators, air conditioners, or aerosol products, and public health must be protected by limiting pesticide residues on food. Many laws also promote responsible behavior through incentives or financial penalties. Here, the promise of "tax breaks" in exchange for specific actions encourages individuals and businesses to voluntarily adopt behaviors that are favored by lawmakers. Likewise, requiring businesses to pay for the costs associated with their activities is also mainly a technique for changing behavior. A polluter will usually have to pay a lot of money to clean up pollution. If clean-up costs are large enough, an affected business will be convinced to spend some fraction of those costs to prevent pollution in the first place.
These laws command responsible behavior or encourage it through carrots and sticks. Laws and regulations can also encourage responsible behavior by providing important information. For example, labeling requirements give consumers the information they need to make informed decisions. When consumers know how much sodium is in a product, what its energy content is, or whether there are allergens present, they can better decide whether it is the right product for them. This, too, is another way that laws change behavior.
Ultimately, what is contemplated under these different approaches is moral action. The actions encouraged by laws reflect not only the legal obligations of actors, but also their ethical obligations. These ethical expectations are deeply rooted in our community with many links to norms that run deeper than law.
Steadying and Boosting the Economy
Economic stability and growth are crucial for the long-term prosperity of any society. Countries with robust legal systems often find themselves positioned for significant development. Laws promote economic growth in several ways, including by protecting businesses from fraud and discrimination, enforcing contracts, and creating a reliable framework within which businesses can operate.
Primarily, laws protect citizens against a wide variety of ills that can have a negative impact on economic development. For instance, laws prohibiting fraud, insider trading, and bribery help ensure that businesses are rewarded based on their success, rather than by capricious and opportunistic actions. Criminal laws discourage entrepreneurs from purposefully failing to pay taxes or deposing of lethal chemicals improperly. Laws also protect businesses (and consumers) from physical harm. These laws are enforced through the courts and law enforcement agencies.
Commodities and investment contracts are essential for any economy. Without a reasonable expectation of contract enforcement, businesses would be wary of investing in new opportunities. Powerful companies and investors could monopolize markets, and small businesses would have no way to secure financing or investment. Unfortunately, this was the case in many developing nations within past decades. Thus, the rule of law is crucial for the development of free markets.
The existence of clear legal rules and highly developed courts also leads to more predictable business environments. In many countries, the legal system is extremely slow and inefficient. Sometimes, courts do not even function within the constraints of the law. These situations create an unreliable atmosphere within which to run a company. For example, if courts do not function properly, the enforcement of contracts is arbitrary. Often, some judges are more sympathetic than others. If the judge is prejudiced in a lawsuit, the defendant will always be at a disadvantage.
Countries that have strong legal institutions generally have greater economic stability. Democratic countries and those governed by the rule of law often experience aggressive economic growth. Thus, laws are essential for economic stability and growth over the long run.
Laws as the Foundation of Society
Through this article, we looked at what laws are, why they are important and how they help maintain order. We took a closer look at some common laws of society and how they are meant to protect the overall welfare of its citizens. Then we also looked at how laws reflect the values of our society, both present and past, and how they evolve to meet our changing societal needs. By now , it is hopefully clear that robust laws and law enforcement are imperative to the harmonious and prosperous survival of any society. It is the expressed hope of this article that you will appreciate and respect the laws of your society a little more and also understand how they protect you and others around you when you or they need it the most.