What Does The Law Mean To You?
Although we
all have an understanding of what law is, and generally why it's appropriate
that it should be in place to serve and regulate our conduct in society, we
seldom think of what law actually means in an everyday context. What is law for the average Joe in the
street? How does law impact on our lives
from day to day? Indeed, is the law a
distant concept with which we find it hard to relate? In this article we will look at some of the
fundamental ways law operates in society, in addition to the nature of the law
as we know it.
For some
people, they feel as though the law is there merely to protect their interests,
and that they have no need for daily interaction. However, they assume that if the day comes
where their behaviour is called into question, the law will operate, the course
of justice will be run, and the will of the people will be fulfilled. This is perhaps a naïve interpretation of the
function of law, and indeed the way it operates in our lives throughout the
day. For instance, at the top level we
have the constitution, establishing parameters within which the government can
and cannot act to protect the citizens of our nation. That has an overwhelming effect on the way in
which our government and indeed our country is run, which has a knock on effect
on everything we do throughout the day and how we do it. Even at a local level, the law interacts with
the services we are provided, the jobs we work and pretty much everything to do
with the lives we lead. A distant
concept? I don't think so.
The law
does not just operate in criminal spheres, nor is it confined to merely
constitutional matters and the distribution of power. Law is a significantly more sophisticated
tool in the orchestration of the day-to-day organisation of society, through
regulating not only personal conduct but also the way we act in business
situations. Take for example the
everyday task of boarding a train. The
law regulates many aspects of this feat:
(1) the criminal law and the
constitution permits us to board public transport. (2) The constitution permits us to make
contract with another.
(3) The laws of
contract permit us to form a contract for transport with the train
company, and ensure that that contract
is fulfilled.
(4) The laws of contract
and tort allow us to board without fear of injury, or with remedy should the
worst happen. Finally the law of
ownership and currency allows us to hand over money in consideration for this
service, which is of value to the other contracting party. In fact, the law regulates just about
everything we do, and is vital in doing so to ensure the smooth running of
community and every aspect of our lives.
The law is
not some abstract notion that can and will protect us when we need to rely on
it. The law is an integral part of
democratic life, and something which regulates our conduct, and in essence
allows us to act according to our own desires within reason. Some may think the law is too restrictive in
certain areas, but it works. The law
serves its function as regulating our behaviour very well, and if it
doesn't? We can change it.
The fact
is, law has been an important part of society since it began, with implied
legal and social orders and boundaries that could not be crossed. Today, it is a sophisticated network of
guidelines and regulations which is adapted to shape the way we live our lives
from one day to the next. There is no
doubt that the law is important to the citizen, and plays a profound impact on
the lives of the people on a daily basis.
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