Law is the set of rules that a particular state creates and enforces to ensure a peaceful society. It regulates the behaviour of a community and, when broken, it enables sanctions to be imposed on culpable parties. These can range from a fine to imprisonment. Law is largely a product of political action and the power to make and enforce laws can be concentrated in a few hands. This concentration of political-legal power is a major source of conflict and instability. Revolutions, or at least aspirations for a more democratic form of government are therefore commonplace.
While the fundamentals of law are very different from one jurisdiction to the next, many broad general principles are common to all legal systems. These are generally derived from judicial decisions of international and national tribunals and also scholarly literature. These general principles are based on ideas such as equality, fairness and justice.
The study of law involves looking at these deeper dimensions of the law. This is why lawyers, judges and academics love to write about law. It provides them with a chance to express their opinions about change and connect their conscience to a deeper level. It is also an opportunity to create something that can inspire others and change the world for the better. For these reasons, a career in the field of law is becoming increasingly popular among young people. The law is, therefore, a complex and fascinating subject to study.