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┃Law┃
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1Legal subject
1Legal systems
1Legal theory
1Legal institutions
1Notes
Image:JMR-Memphis1.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Lady Justice depicts justice as a goddess equipped with three symbols of the rule of law: a sword symbolizing the court's coercive power; scales representing the weighing of competing claims; and a blindfold indicating impartiality.[Luban, ''Law's Blindfold'', 23]
Law[From Old English ''lagu'' "something laid down or fixed"; ''legal'' comes from Latin ''legalis'', from ''translating "law" to other European languages|lex'' "law", "statute" ([http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=law&searchmode=none Law], Online Etymology Dictionary; [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legal Legal], Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary)] is a system of rules, enforced through a set of institutions,[Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90; see jurisprudence for extensive debate on what law is; in ''The Concept of Law'' Hart argued law is a "system of rules" (Campbell, ''The Contribution of Legal Studies'', 184); Austin said law was "the command of a sovereign, backed by the threat of a sanction" (Bix, [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/austin-john/#3 John Austin]); Dworkin describes law as an "interpretive concept" to achieve justice (Dworkin, ''Law's Empire'', 410); and Raz argues law is an "authority" to mediate people's interests (Raz, ''The Authority of Law'', 3?36).] used as an instrument to underpin civil obedience, politics, economics and society. Law serves as the foremost social mediator in relations between people. Writing in 350 BC, the Ancient Greece|Greek philosopher Aristotle declared, "The rule of law is better than the rule of any individual."[n.b. this translation reads, "it is more proper that law should govern than any one of the citizens" (Aristotle, ''Politics'' s:Politics (Aristotle)/Book 3#3:16|3.16).]
Law consists of a wide variety of separate disciplines. Contract law regulates binding agreements which may relate to everything from civil purchase to trading on derivative (finance)|derivatives markets. Property law defines rights and obligations related to the transfer and title of Personal property|personal and real property. Trust law applies to assets held for investment and financial security, while Tort law allows claims for compensation an individual or their property is injured or harmed. If the harm is criminalised in penal code, criminal law offers means by which the state can prosecute the perpetrator. Constitutional law provides a framework for the creation of law, the protection of human rights and the election of political representatives. Administrative law regulates the activities the administrative agencies of government, while International law governs affairs between sovereign nation states in activities ranging from trade, environmental regulation or military action.
Legal systems elaborate rights and responsibilities in a variety of ways. A basic distinction is generally made between Civil law (legal system)|civil law jurisdictions and systems using common law. In some countries, religious law|religion informs the law. Scholars investigate the nature of law through many perspectives, including legal history and jurisprudence|philosophy, or social sciences such as Law and economics|economics and sociology of law|sociology. The study of law raises important and complex issues concerning egalitarianism|equality, fairness, liberty and justice. "In its majestic equality", said the author Anatole France in 1894, "the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread."[The original French is: "La loi, dans un grand souci d'egalite, interdit aux riches comme aux pauvres de coucher sous les ponts, de mendier dans les rues et de voler du pain" (France, ''The Red Lily'', [http://www.online-literature.com/anatole-france/red-lily/8/ Chapter VII]).] The central institutions for interpreting and creating law are the three main branches of government, namely an impartial judiciary, a democratic legislature, and an accountable executive (government)|executive. To implement and enforce the law and provide services to the public, a government's bureaucracy, the military and police are vital. While all these organs of the state are creatures created and bound by law, an independent lawyer|legal profession and a vibrant civil society inform and support their progress.