admin
A set of guidelines known as “law” is intended to control behavior in both public and private spheres of society. These laws are developed and upheld by social and/or governmental organisations. Lawmaking by humans dates back thousands of years. Old Testament law, Babylonian law, ancient Chinese law, and ancient Egyptian law are a few early examples. Law is divided into numerous divisions, such as criminal law, civil law, and others. Why is legislation important at all? Ten reasons are listed below:
Laws provide the parameters for permitted (and inappropriate) conduct.
The law’s fundamental purpose is to reduce conflict. Societies consider what causes conflict when enacting legislation. Murder and theft are two apparent crimes that have been covered by laws since the dawn of civilization. But as time passes and society alter, so does what is deemed appropriate. Legal frameworks change to make it easier to define and explain prohibited behavior. They also provide suggestions for appropriate penalties.
Laws give people access to justice in
If it’s against the law to strike someone in the face, the victim has options besides just retaliating by punching back. Justice is equal in a perfect world. Who punched whom or who did the punching doesn’t relevant. The fact that the statute prohibiting punching was broken is what matters. Everyone in a society, not just a select few people with privileges, must have equal access to justice through the legal system.
Laws ensure everyone’s safety.
Laws don’t merely address wrongdoing and injury. They strive to stop them. Laws governing food safety are a good example. The food sector used to be dreadfully unregulated. American food producers went to great lengths in the 18th and 19th centuries in their pursuit of profit. They diluted the milk and added coloring agents like chalk. They added lead to beer and wine and blended dirt into coffee, tea, and spices. The Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act were both enacted in 1906 by President Roosevelt and Congress. This signaled the start of contemporary food safety and oversight. The public is now shielded from potentially lethal food poisoning by rules governing food safety.
Laws safeguard society’s most vulnerable members.
Many laws are created particularly to defend particular groups of people. Discrimination is prohibited by laws like the Sex Discrimination Act (Australia) and the Civil Rights Act (US). These kinds of legislation defend what are referred to as “negative rights,” or the freedom from things like discrimination. Anyone can be discriminated against, but as history demonstrates, some groups are more vulnerable than others. Laws intended to stop discrimination on the basis of race, sex, gender, religion, and other factors safeguard these groups and improve their access to the court system.
The making of laws promotes participation in civil and political life.
Laws must change along with society. Technology advancements are a good illustration of why. The sharing of pornographic photos or films of people without their permission has grown to be a serious problem in recent years. One study estimates that almost 10 million Americans have unintentionally shared obscene photos. State laws exist, but there is no federal legislation. An online petition in Australia urged the A.C.T. Legislative Assembly to make it illegal to share sexually graphic pictures or videos of people without their agreement. The Assembly took notes. This is a terrific illustration of how people participate in the drafting of laws and make them relevant as problems arise.
People have a wide range of professional opportunities in law.
The legal profession is broad and adaptable. There are countless work opportunities because there are so many diverse legal disciplines. From contracts to immigration to criminal law, attorneys might choose to focus on any of these areas. In addition to paralegals, consultants, and researchers, there are positions for law professors as well. There is opportunity for all kinds of abilities and knowledge in the judicial system since it is so large.
Laws are necessary to preserve peace.
We briefly mentioned before in this essay how conflict resolution is essentially the goal of law. That makes the rule of law crucial to preserving peace. Due of injustice, conflict is stoked. People will suffer and lose faith in their government if harmful habits are allowed to flourish without intervention. When justice is administered unfairly, conflict is likewise fanned. Societies must improve the rule of law and make it fair if they want to live in peace.
Laws are necessary for social advancement
We’ve talked about how legal systems ought to change and advance over time. Laws would stay the same if societies did. Law has frequently been used historically to effect social change. Slavery, discrimination, and apartheid were rendered unlawful by laws. Due to laws, no one may be fired from their job because of their spouse’s choice or a condition. Because it’s unlikely that a rule will be implemented if the majority of a community disagrees with it, the idea of law as an instrument for social change is challenging. But having a law in place gives people more authority than they would have otherwise. It’s an essential step toward genuine social transformation, albeit it’s not always the last one.
Laws bring human rights into existence.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor of the Supreme Court once stated, “I firmly believe in the rule of law as the foundation for all our basic rights.” The human rights to which everyone is entitled are known as basic rights. This covers a variety of rights, such as the right to life, the right to marriage, the freedom from prejudice, and more. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has a list of them, although it is not a binding court ruling. Human rights must be legally protected in order to become a reality. Human rights wouldn’t exist without the rule of law. If you want to learn more about human rights, think about getting a master’s degree.
Laws are not always beneficial to society
The final justification for its significance is that law can be utilized negatively. Laws don’t always benefit society or simply benefit a small portion of the population. Governments frequently utilize the law to consolidate their authority and punish dissenters.