Law is a set of rules that regulate human behavior and the relations between individuals and society. Its primary aim is to protect the rights, liberties and obligations of human beings.
In legal terms, law is a set of rules that are enforced through social institutions to govern behaviour. These are created through statutes, decrees and regulations, or through judicial decisions, normally in common law jurisdictions.
The term law can refer to all manner of rules, but often is used to describe the general rule that governs the conduct of a community in its social life. It may include natural laws, positive law and statute law as well as ecclesiastical and moral law.
Generally speaking, the term law can be divided into four principle classes: nature of law; general law; positive law and statute law. The definition of law is a matter of controversy and there is no universally accepted meaning for the word.
1. In its widest sense, law denotes a rule laid down for the guidance of an intelligent being by an intelligent being having power over him or her.
2. In its narrower sense, it refers to a set of rules for regulating the conduct of an intelligent being; such as the laws enjoining certain duties of piety and morality that are prescribed by God in the Bible or by the government of a church.
3. The laws which enjoin the duties of piety and morality are called moral law.
4. The governing power of a state or nation is its law; such as the law of nations.
5. The law is a rule that has been established in a society and complied with by its members.
6. The law is a body of rules that are binding and enforceable by the government.
7. The rule of law is the principle that governs a society or country.
8. The law is a system of rules and sanctions that are meant to maintain a peaceful society by ensuring the rights, freedoms and duties of people in a democratic way.
9. The law is a body of rules that imposes penalties on people who break those rules.
10. The rule of law is a system that protects the rights of citizens and prevents unnecessary disturbance from occurring in society.
The rule of law is the belief that every citizen should be able to exercise their basic rights without interference from arbitrary government authorities and their actions. It is a core principle of democratic societies.