Law is a set of rules enforceable through the power of the state or nation to control behaviour, enforce justice and secure certain rights for its citizens. The precise nature of law is subject to ongoing debate, but it is generally agreed that laws comprise a body of precepts, often backed by the threat of penalties for violations, that regulate various aspects of human activity.
Most legal systems are based on the idea that the sovereign (a nation’s government) has the responsibility to make, enforce and administer laws that ensure the wellbeing of its citizens. Laws can be found in a wide variety of forms, depending on the social and cultural context in which they are established.
For example, in the United States, law is derived from judicial decisions, while in many other countries laws are drafted by legislative bodies and backed by regulations issued by executive agencies. The differences between these types of legal system are a result of the way in which laws are interpreted.
Ronald Dworkin offers a distinctive account of this process, which is known as creative interpretation. He argues that an interpreter attempts to present the object of law in its best light, in terms of both its purpose and its significance for the community at large, while also respecting the object’s limitations. This approach to law has been adopted by a number of theorists. Other ways in which the concept of law has been viewed include the idea that it is a form of social organisation, a social product and a public good.