Law is a set of rules created and enforced by a society or government to control behaviour. It has long been the subject of scholarly inquiry in fields such as sociology, philosophy and economics. Law encompasses a wide variety of subjects, from the law of contracts to criminal law and civil procedure.
A basic concept of law is that people and organisations have a legal right to property, contract, safety and justice. This law is enforced by agencies such as police, courts and the military. Civil law systems typically rely on laws passed by legislatures, whereas common law systems tend to rely on decisions made by judges and a collection of these judgements called case law.
The law of property is one area where the principles of law are most widely applied. It covers ownership and transfer of property, and relates to disputes over inheritance, wills and trusts. It also includes the concept of intellectual property, which is protected by copyright and patents.
Criminal law is the body of rules that are imposed by governments to regulate conduct that is considered harmful to society and punishable by fine or imprisonment. It is an important subject for scholarly inquiry in disciplines such as sociology, history and philosophy.
A broad category of law that is of increasing importance in the modern world is regulatory law, which involves the regulation of businesses or activities. It is an area of growing concern, reflecting increased globalisation and the need for companies to compete across borders. Examples of regulatory law include competition law (antitrust) and environmental protection legislation.
It is a matter of ongoing debate whether there are limits to the extent to which government can extend its power through law. This is a key theme in the work of writers such as Max Weber, who reshaped thinking on the extension of state power over ordinary citizens in ways that earlier writers such as Locke and Montesquieu could not have imagined. Modern military, policing and bureaucratic power over people’s daily lives pose special problems for accountability that cannot easily be addressed by the concepts of law as developed by earlier thinkers.
Legal studies is a multidisciplinary field with links to other disciplines such as business, management, history and philosophy. The study of law requires a high level of skill and intellectual rigour, as well as a detailed knowledge of the specific legal system under consideration. Lawyers are regulated by law and must have a recognised professional identity, usually achieved through a qualifying examination and an approved legal education. Many lawyers also undertake further study to obtain a Masters, Master of Legal Studies or Juris Doctor degree. Legal studies is a popular academic subject and provides careers in both the public and private sectors.