Law is a system of rules enforceable by one or more controlling authorities, governing behaviour and property rights. A key feature of law is its normative nature – it prescribes what people ought to do or not do, as distinct from natural laws (such as the law of gravity) or descriptive ones (such as the law of supply and demand in economics). Law cannot impose behaviours that are impossible or immoral, because this would undermine its status as an objective system.
Different legal systems address the issues that face human society, with some systems more effective at meeting these needs than others. For example, authoritarian governments may keep the peace and maintain the status quo, but they can also oppress minorities and political opponents. Conversely, a democratic government may promote social change and provide a high level of economic opportunity for all its citizens, but it can become bogged down in bureaucracy and fail to respond to crises quickly.
Individual laws can be complex, involving detailed rules for many areas of life. Legal topics include taxation law, which sets the rules for assessing and collecting taxes; banking laws and financial regulation, which set minimum standards and ensure that banks are adequately capitalised; employment law, which covers the legal rights of workers; and family law, which addresses marriage, divorce, and children’s rights. Other legal issues concern the ownership of property, whether real estate or personal possessions; and intellectual property and company law, which cover the rules for creating and using intellectual property.