Law is the set of rules that regulate the behaviour of people in a society. It serves many purposes, but the four main ones are establishing standards, maintaining order, resolving disputes and protecting liberties and rights. Laws are created by the government and they are enforced by the police, courts and other public bodies. They ensure that all members of a society follow the same rules and they punish those who break them.
In a society without law, disorder and conflict would quickly arise. For example, if two people claim to own the same piece of land, they could become involved in a legal battle to determine who owns it. The use of the law prevents this by allowing the courts to decide who is the owner and issue a ruling.
Different societies have different systems of laws, but most have a constitution that sets out basic principles including supremacy of the law, equality before the law, accountability to the law and transparency of decision-making and justice. This system helps to ensure that the government is held to account and does not become corrupt or repressive.
The law is a complex and influential field that influences politics, economics, history and society in many ways. There are often challenges to the way that laws are made and enforced, with revolutions in the past and an aspiration for greater democracy today. Law is also the basis for many careers such as those of lawyer, judge and public official.