The law is a set of rules created by the state that form a framework to ensure a peaceful society and if these laws are broken there can be sanctions imposed.
It is difficult to give a precise definition of Law as there are many different ways of understanding it, which is why so many books with diverse ideas and viewpoints have been written about it. However, four key aspects are commonly acknowledged: establishing standards, maintaining order, resolving disputes and protecting liberties and rights.
For instance, if someone breaks a law they are likely to face punishment, for example fines or jail time. Some of these laws, such as those against murder, are made by the state or government and therefore apply to all members of a nation. Others are specific to a certain grouping of people, such as those that prevent young children from playing outside unsupervised.
There are also laws that govern the way a country is run, for example how taxes are collected and where money comes from. This is known as constitutional law and is designed to make sure the government functions in a fair and just manner. Other aspects of law are based on religion, for example the Jewish Halakha and Islamic Sharia. These are not considered to be the main sources of law in a nation-state but they provide guidance for how to behave or how to resolve conflicts.
Many of these laws are enforced by a police force, which is tasked with keeping order and enforcing the law. However, some laws are not enforced at all and are instead ignored by the community in favor of other more social behaviors. Those that do not obey the law are often called out of control, tyrants or terrorists.
While the principal function of law is to establish standards and maintain order, it can be abused by those in power who wish to control or limit the liberty and rights of citizens. As a result, revolts against existing political-legal authority are a recurrent feature in history.
The study of law can be very interesting and there are many careers that revolve around it. A common career is as a lawyer, which involves the writing and researching of legal cases. This requires a degree from law school, which is a lengthy and intense program that includes numerous exams and writing assignments. Some universities have the option of a law review, which is a student edited journal that features peer-reviewed articles. These journals are used to help students prepare for a career in law, and can be helpful in finding jobs in the field. The first student law review was called Jussens Venner and was founded in Norway in 1952. This publication still exists today as a part of the University of Oslo. It publishes twice a year. There are also many law schools that are not affiliated with universities. Some see this as a disadvantage because they do not gain the benefit of the academic and research opportunities that are available at the more well-known colleges.
