Law is a body of rules enforced by social or governmental institutions in order to govern behavior. The precise nature of law is a topic of dispute, with a number of different theories being advanced. Law is a complex subject, encompassing a wide variety of fields and aspects of society, such as governing relationships, commerce, and individual rights. A basic definition is that it is a set of precepts and guidelines to control human actions and maintain societal order. The term is often used to refer to a particular legal field, such as criminal law or family law, but can also be applied to the entire system of laws that exist in a specific geographical area, such as a country.

Various theories of law have been developed, ranging from pure science to moral philosophy. One such theory was created by Roscoe Pound, who defined law as “the aggregate of all enforceable rules in a given area imposed on men by a power superior to them as political subjects.” This definition, while broad, does not clearly define what law actually is and many scholars have disagreed with it.

The purpose of law is to serve a variety of social wants, such as maintaining peace and order, resolving conflicts, protecting freedoms and rights, and promoting social change. Different legal systems are designed to achieve these goals more successfully than others, with some governments being able to do so more effectively than others. For example, an authoritarian government may be effective at keeping the peace and preserving the status quo, but it is also likely to oppress minorities and suppress opposition.

Some forms of law are explicitly based on religion, such as the Jewish Halakha and Islamic Sharia. Christian canon law also survives in some religious communities. Typically, such religious law requires further human elaboration for its full application, as judges and governments must interpret and apply it.

Other forms of law are purely based on the customs and practices of a community. Examples include labour law, which outlines the relationship between worker, employer and trade unions, and tort law, which provides compensation when an individual is injured by another’s actions, such as a car accident or defamation of character. Other examples of law are administrative law, which relates to the procedures of a jurisdiction, such as its constitution, statutes and executive regulations; and evidence law, which dictates what materials are admissible in court cases. These forms of law are often the focus of studies on the history of law, as they provide insights into how adjustments and justifications to laws occurred over time.