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The rule of law is a political ideal that all people and institutions within a country, state, or community are accountable to the same laws , including lawmakers and leaders. It is sometimes stated simply as "no one is above the law". The term rule of law is closely related to constitutionalism as well as Rechtsstaat . It refers to a political situation, not to any specific legal rule. The rule of law is defined in the Encyclopædia Britannica as "the mechanism, process, institution, practice, or norm that supports the equality of all citizens before the law, secures a nonarbitrary form of government, and more generally prevents the arbitrary use of power."

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65-503: A guideline is a statement by which to determine a course of action. It aims to streamline particular processes according to a set routine or sound practice. They may be issued by and used by any organization (governmental or private) to make the actions of its employees or divisions more predictable, and presumably of higher quality. A guideline is similar to a rule , but are legally less binding as justified deviations are possible. Examples of guidelines are: rule From Misplaced Pages,

130-638: A JAG Corps handbook, for judge advocates deployed with the US Army: First the Rule of Law should protect against anarchy and the Hobbesian war of all against all. Second, the Rule of Law should allow people to plan their affairs with reasonable confidence that they can know in advance the legal consequences of various actions. Third, the Rule of Law should guarantee against at least some types of official arbitrariness. Fallon describes five "elements" of

195-555: A 2014 iOS video game "Rule #1" ( Batwoman ) Rule (Bosnia and Herzegovina) , political party Royal University of Law and Economics (RULE), a university in Cambodia See also [ edit ] All pages with titles beginning with Rule All pages with titles beginning with Rule of All pages with titles beginning with Rules of All pages with titles beginning with Rules for Debate (parliamentary procedure) for rules governing discussion on

260-414: A compromise had emerged. If administrators adopted procedures that more or less tracked "the ordinary legal manner" of the courts, further review of the facts by "the ordinary Courts of the land" was unnecessary. That is, if you had your "day in commission", the rule of law did not require a further "day in court". Thus Dicey's rule of law was recast into a purely procedural form. James Wilson said during

325-480: A decision by a court Government In rulemaking by the federal government of the United States, a regulation mandated by Congress, but written or expanded upon by the executive branch Law , which may informally be called a "rule" Military rule , governance by a military body Monastic rule , a collection of precepts that guides the life of monks or nuns in a religious order Procedural law ,

390-410: A distinct breach of law established in the ordinary legal manner before the ordinary Courts of the land." That is, individuals should be able to challenge an administrative order by bringing suit in a court of general jurisdiction. As the dockets of worker compensation commissions, public utility commissions and other agencies burgeoned, it soon became apparent that letting judges decide for themselves all

455-463: A given situation), but formalists contend that there are no requirements with regard to the content of the law. Others, including a few legal theorists, believe that the rule of law necessarily entails protection of individual rights. Within legal theory, these two approaches to the rule of law are seen as the two basic alternatives, respectively labelled the formal and substantive approaches. Still, there are other views as well. Some believe that democracy

520-404: A group Rule of thumb , a principle with broad application that is not intended to be strictly accurate or reliable for every situation Unspoken rule , an assumed rule of human behavior that is not voiced or written down Science [ edit ] Ruler , or "rule"; a distance measuring device Slide rule , a mechanical analog computer Rule of inference or transformation rule,

585-421: A person being otherwise free from both governmental and private restrictions on his liberty. "The rule of law" was further popularized in the 19th century by British jurist A. V. Dicey . However, the principle, if not the phrase itself, was recognized by ancient thinkers. Aristotle wrote: "It is more proper that law should govern than any one of the citizens: upon the same principle, if it is advantageous to place

650-481: A rule pertaining to the structure or behavior internal to a business School rule , a rule that is part of school discipline Sport rule , a rule that defines how a sport is played Game rule , a rule that defines how a game is played Morality , a rule or element of a moral code for guiding choices in human behavior Norm (philosophy) , a kind of sentence or a reason to act, feel or believe Social norm , explicit or implicit rules used within society or by

715-616: A ruleset governing the application of laws to cases Rule of law , government based not on arbitrary decisions of officials but on laws Geography [ edit ] Rule, Arkansas Rule, Texas Literature [ edit ] The Rules , bestselling self-help book Rules (novel) , 2007 Newbery Honor book by Cynthia Lord " The Rulers ", a science fiction short story by A. E. van Vogt Music [ edit ] Ja Rule (born 1976), hip hop artist Albums [ edit ] R.U.L.E. , by Ja Rule, 2004 Rule , by Anna Tsuchiya , 2010 Rules (album) , by

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780-496: A society (including those in government) are considered equally subject to publicly disclosed legal codes and processes. Rule of law implies that every person is subject to the law. It stands in contrast to the idea that the ruler is above the law, for example by divine right . Despite wide use by politicians, judges and academics, the rule of law has been described as "an exceedingly elusive notion". Among modern legal theorists , one finds that at least two principal conceptions of

845-441: A term in logic for a function which takes premises and returns a conclusion Phrase structure rule or rewrite rule, used in some theories of linguistics "Rule X " elementary cellular automaton , where X is a number between 0-255 characterizing a specific model (e.g. Rule 110 ) Phonological rule Law and government [ edit ] Advance tax ruling , a tool for conforming taxation arrangements Court order ,

910-441: Is a means to an end became entrenched only in the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries." Others argue that the rule of law has survived but was transformed to allow for the exercise of discretion by administrators. For much of American history, the dominant notion of the rule of law, in this setting, has been some version of A. V. Dicey's: "no man is punishable or can be lawfully made to suffer in body or goods except for

975-434: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Rule of law Use of the phrase can be traced to 16th-century Britain. In the following century, Scottish theologian Samuel Rutherford employed it in arguing against the divine right of kings . John Locke wrote that freedom in society means being subject only to laws written by a legislature that apply to everyone, with

1040-464: Is king", subverts the traditional formulation rex lex ("the king is law"). James Harrington wrote in Oceana (1656), drawing principally on Aristotle's Politics , that among forms of government an "Empire of Laws, and not of Men" was preferable to an "Empire of Men, and not of Laws". John Locke also discussed this issue in his Second Treatise of Government (1690): The natural liberty of man

1105-441: Is often regarded as a modern iteration of the ideas of ancient Greek philosophers who argued that the best form of government was rule by the best men. Plato advocated a benevolent monarchy ruled by an idealized philosopher king , who was above the law. Plato nevertheless hoped that the best men would be good at respecting established laws, explaining that "Where the law is subject to some other authority and has none of its own,

1170-426: Is part of the rule of law. The "formal" interpretation is more widespread than the "substantive" interpretation. Formalists hold that the law must be prospective, well-known, and have characteristics of generality, equality, and certainty. Other than that, the formal view contains no requirements as to the content of the law. This formal approach allows laws that protect democracy and individual rights, but recognizes

1235-401: Is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have only the law of nature for his rule. The liberty of man, in society, is to be under no other legislative power, but that established, by consent, in the commonwealth; nor under the dominion of any will, or restraint of any law, but what that legislative shall enact, according to

1300-561: The Philadelphia Convention in 1787 that, "Laws may be unjust, may be unwise, may be dangerous, may be destructive; and yet not be so unconstitutional as to justify the Judges in refusing to give them effect." George Mason agreed that judges "could declare an unconstitutional law void. But with regard to every law, however unjust, oppressive or pernicious, which did not come plainly under this description, they would be under

1365-908: The Wars of the Roses . The ideas contained in Magna Carta are widely considered to have influenced the United States Constitution . In 1481, during the reign of Ferdinand II of Aragon , the Constitució de l'Observança was approved by the General Court of Catalonia , establishing the submission of royal power (included its officers) to the laws of the Principality of Catalonia . The first known use of this English phrase occurred around 1500. Another early example of

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1430-474: The legislature . France was one of the early pioneers of the ideas of the rule of law. The German interpretation is more "rigid" but similar to that of France and the United Kingdom. Finland's constitution explicitly requires rule of law by stipulating that "the exercise of public powers shall be based on an Act. In all public activity, the law shall be strictly observed." In the United Kingdom

1495-463: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts : No man, nor corporation, or association of men, have any other title to obtain advantages, or particular and exclusive privileges, distinct from those of the community, than what arises from the consideration of services rendered to the public; and this title being in nature neither hereditary, nor transmissible to children, or descendants, or relations by blood,

1560-523: The Great , Anglo-Saxon king in the 9th century, reformed the law of his kingdom and assembled a law code (the Doom Book ) which he grounded on biblical commandments. He held that the same law had to be applied to all persons, whether rich or poor, friends or enemies. This was likely inspired by Leviticus 19:15: "You shall do no iniquity in judgment. You shall not favor the wretched and you shall not defer to

1625-475: The Indian epics Ramayana and Mahabharata - the earliest versions of which date around to 8th or 9th centuries BC although they were written down as texts much later owing to the shruti - smriti tradition. The Mahabharata deals with the concepts of Dharma (used to mean law and duty interchangeably), Rajdharma (duty of the king) and Dharmaraja (as Yudhishthir , the eldest of the five Pandava brothers

1690-562: The King was greatly offended, and said, that then he should be under the law, which was treason to affirm, as he said; to which I said, that Bracton saith, quod Rex non debet esse sub homine, sed sub Deo et lege (That the King ought not to be under any man but under God and the law.)." Among the first modern authors to use the term and give the principle theoretical foundations was Samuel Rutherford in Lex, Rex (1644). The title, Latin for "the law

1755-570: The Roman Republic, controversial magistrates might be put on trial when their terms of office expired. Under the Roman Empire, the sovereign was personally immune ( legibus solutus ), but those with grievances could sue the treasury. In China, members of the school of legalism during the 3rd century BC argued for using law as a tool of governance, but they promoted "rule by law" as opposed to "rule of law," meaning that they placed

1820-605: The Senate under the Impeachment Disqualification Clause of Article I, Section III . The question of whether a president may only be criminally charged if they have first survived an impeachment is presently before the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals for decision in the case of United States of America versus Donald J. Trump (docket no. 23–3228). Scholars continue to debate whether

1885-576: The U.S. Constitution adopted a particular interpretation of the "rule of law", and if so, which one. For example, John Harrison asserts that the word "law" in the Constitution is simply defined as that which is legally binding, rather than being "defined by formal or substantive criteria", and therefore judges do not have discretion to decide that laws fail to satisfy such unwritten and vague criteria. Law Professor Frederick Mark Gedicks disagrees, writing that Cicero , Augustine , Thomas Aquinas , and

1950-725: The United States, including the President , the Justices of the Supreme Court , state judges and legislators, and all members of Congress , pledge first and foremost to uphold the Constitution . These oaths affirm that the rule of law is superior to the rule of any human leader. At the same time, the federal government has considerable discretion: the legislative branch is free to decide what statutes it will write, as long as it stays within its enumerated powers and respects

2015-497: The Whitest Boy Alive, 2009 Rules , by First Blood , 2017 Rules! , by Manila Luzon , 2019 Songs [ edit ] "Rule" (Nas song) , 2001 "Rule"/"Sparkle" , a double A-side by Ayumi Hamasaki, 2009 "Rule", by X Ambassadors from Orion , 2019 "Rules" (Doja Cat song) , 2019 "Rules" (KMFDM song) , 1996 "Rules", by Shakira from Laundry Service , 2001 "The Rules", by XO-IQ, featured in

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2080-481: The aristocrats and emperor above the law. In contrast, the Huang–Lao school of Daoism rejected legal positivism in favor of a natural law that even the ruler would be subject to. The Oxford English Dictionary has defined rule of law this way: The authority and influence of law in society, esp. when viewed as a constraint on individual and institutional behaviour; (hence) the principle whereby all members of

2145-412: The collapse of the state, in my view, is not far off; but if law is the master of the government and the government is its slave, then the situation is full of promise and men enjoy all the blessings that the gods shower on a state." More than Plato attempted to do, Aristotle flatly opposed letting the highest officials wield power beyond guarding and serving the laws. In other words, Aristotle advocated

2210-527: The concept of the rule of law back to 4th-century BC Athens , seeing it either as the dominant value of the Athenian democracy , or as one held in conjunction with the concept of popular sovereignty . However, these arguments have been challenged and the present consensus is that upholding an abstract concept of the rule of law was not "the predominant consideration" of the Athenian legal system. Alfred

2275-425: The constitutionally protected rights of individuals . Likewise, the judicial branch has a degree of judicial discretion , and the executive branch also has various discretionary powers including prosecutorial discretion . The July 1, 2024, Trump v. United States Supreme Court decision held former presidents have partial immunity for crimes committed using the powers of their office. Legal scholars have warned of

2340-438: The existence of "rule of law" in countries that do not necessarily have such laws protecting democracy or individual rights. The best known arguments for the formal interpretation have been made by A.V Dicey, F.A.Hayek, Joseph Raz, and Joseph Unger. The substantive interpretation preferred by Dworkin, Laws, and Allan, holds that the rule of law intrinsically protects some or all individual rights. The functional interpretation of

2405-408: The facts in a dispute (such as the extent of an injury in a worker's compensation case) would overwhelm the courts and destroy the advantages of specialization that led to the creation of administrative agencies in the first place. Even Charles Evans Hughes, a Chief Justice of the United States, believed "you must have administration, and you must have administration by administrative officers." By 1941,

2470-406: The framers of the U.S. Constitution believed that an unjust law was not really a law at all. Some modern scholars contend that the rule of law has been corroded during the past century by the instrumental view of law promoted by legal realists such as Oliver Wendell Holmes and Roscoe Pound . For example, Brian Tamanaha asserts: "The rule of law is a centuries-old ideal, but the notion that law

2535-597: The 💕 For technical reasons , "Rule #1" redirects here. For the horror film, see Rule No. 1 . [REDACTED] Look up rule  or ruling in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. [REDACTED] Wikiquote has quotations related to Rules . [REDACTED] Wikiquote has quotations related to Rulers . Rule or ruling may refer to: Human activity [ edit ] The exercise of political or personal control by someone with authority or power Business rule ,

2600-542: The idea of a man born a magistrate, lawgiver, or judge, is absurd and unnatural. The influence of Britain, France and the United States contributed to spreading the principle of the rule of law to other countries around the world. Although credit for popularizing the expression "the rule of law" in modern times is usually given to A. V. Dicey , development of the legal concept can be traced through history to many ancient civilizations, including ancient Greece , Mesopotamia , India , and Rome . The idea of Rule of Law

2665-471: The law which giveth both to the head and members that which of right belongeth to them, and not by any uncertain or arbitrary form of government ... In 1607, English Chief Justice Sir Edward Coke said in the Case of Prohibitions (according to his own report) "that the law was the golden met-wand and measure to try the causes of the subjects; and which protected His Majesty in safety and peace: with which

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2730-433: The law and obey it." (3) The third element is stability. The law should be reasonably stable, in order to facilitate planning and coordinated action over time. (4) The fourth element of the Rule of Law is the supremacy of legal authority. The law should rule officials, including judges, as well as ordinary citizens. (5) The final element involves instrumentalities of impartial justice. Courts should be available to enforce

2795-529: The law is preeminent and can serve as a check against the abuse of power. Under rule by law, the law is a mere tool for a government, that suppresses in a legalistic fashion." The rule of law has been considered one of the key dimensions that determine the quality and good governance of a country. Research, like the Worldwide Governance Indicators , defines the rule of law as "the extent to which agents have confidence and abide by

2860-584: The law was popular during the founding of the United States. For example, Thomas Paine wrote in his pamphlet Common Sense that "in America, the law is king . For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king; and there ought to be no other." In 1780, John Adams enshrined this principle in Article VI of the Declaration of Rights in the Constitution of

2925-502: The merits of a pending question. Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Rule . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rule&oldid=1240949512 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

2990-592: The necessity as judges to give it a free course." Chief Justice John Marshall (joined by Justice Joseph Story ) took a similar position in 1827: "When its existence as law is denied, that existence cannot be proved by showing what are the qualities of a law." Numerous definitions of "rule of law" are used in the United States. An organization's definition might depend on that organization's goal. For instance, military occupation or counterinsurgency campaigns may necessitate prioritising physical security over human rights. Outlines of different definitions are given in

3055-664: The negative impact of this decision on the status of rule of law in the United States. Prior to that, in 1973 and 2000 the Office of Legal Counsel within the Department of Justice issued opinions saying that a sitting president cannot be indicted or prosecuted , but it is constitutional to indict and try a former president for the same offenses for which the President was impeached by the House of Representatives and acquitted by

3120-505: The philosophy of rule of law can be traced to the Upanishads which state that, "The law is the king of the kings. No one is higher than the law. Not even the king." Other commentaries include Kautilya 's Arthashastra (4th-century BC), Manusmriti (dated to the 1st to 3rd century CE), Yajnavalkya-Smriti (dated between the 3rd and 5th century CE), Brihaspati Smriti (dated between 15 CE and 16 CE). Several scholars have also traced

3185-458: The phrase "rule of law" is found in a petition to James I of England in 1610, from the House of Commons : Amongst many other points of happiness and freedom which your majesty's subjects of this kingdom have enjoyed under your royal progenitors, kings and queens of this realm, there is none which they have accounted more dear and precious than this, to be guided and governed by the certain rule of

3250-402: The punishment of those who commit offenses that are justifiable under natural law but not statutory law. The rule of law is thus somewhat at odds with flexibility, even when flexibility may be preferable. The ancient concept of rule of law can be distinguished from rule by law, according to political science professor Li Shuguang: "The difference ... is that, under the rule of law,

3315-512: The rich. In righteousness you are to judge your fellow." In 1215, Archbishop Stephen Langton gathered the Barons in England and forced King John and future sovereigns and magistrates back under the rule of law, preserving ancient liberties by Magna Carta in return for exacting taxes. The influence of Magna Carta ebbs and wanes across centuries. The weakening of royal power it demonstrated

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3380-567: The rule of law European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms says "the governments of European countries which are like-minded and have a common heritage of political traditions, ideals, freedom and the rule of law". In France and Germany the concepts of rule of law ( Etat de droit and Rechtsstaat respectively) are analogous to the principles of constitutional supremacy and protection of fundamental rights from public authorities (see public law ), particularly

3445-429: The rule of law can be identified: a formalist or "thin" definition, and a substantive or " thick " definition; one occasionally encounters a third "functional" conception. Formalist definitions of the rule of law do not make a judgment about the "justness" of law itself, but define specific procedural attributes that a legal framework must have in order to be in compliance with the rule of law. Substantive conceptions of

3510-593: The rule of law go beyond this and include certain substantive rights that are said to be based on, or derived from, the rule of law. Most legal theorists believe that the rule of law has purely formal characteristics. For instance, such theorists claim that law requires generality (general rules that apply to classes of persons and behaviors as opposed to individuals), publicity (no secret laws), prospective application (little or no retroactive laws), consistency (no contradictory laws), equality (applied equally throughout all society), and certainty (certainty of application for

3575-651: The rule of law is a long-standing principle of the way the country is governed, dating from England's Magna Carta in 1215 and the Bill of Rights 1689 . In the 19th century classic work Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution (1885), A. V. Dicey , a constitutional scholar and lawyer, wrote of the twin pillars of the British constitution : the rule of law and parliamentary sovereignty . All government officers of

3640-413: The rule of law which serve the purpose of law: (1) The first element is the capacity of legal rules, standards, or principles to guide people in the conduct of their affairs. People must be able to understand the law and comply with it. (2) The second element of the Rule of Law is efficacy. The law should actually guide people, at least for the most part. In Joseph Raz's phrase, "people should be ruled by

3705-400: The rule of law: It is more proper that law should govern than any one of the citizens: upon the same principle, if it is advantageous to place the supreme power in some particular persons, they should be appointed to be only guardians, and the servants of the laws. The Roman statesman Cicero is often cited as saying, roughly: "We are all servants of the laws in order to be free." During

3770-522: The rule prescribes not; and not to be subject to the inconstant, uncertain, unknown, arbitrary will of another man: as freedom of nature is, to be under no other restraint but the law of nature. The principle was also discussed by Montesquieu in The Spirit of Law (1748). The phrase "rule of law" appears in Samuel Johnson 's Dictionary (1755). In 1776, the notion that no one is above

3835-764: The rules of society, and in particular the quality of contract enforcement, the police and the courts, as well as the likelihood of crime or violence." Based on this definition the Worldwide Governance Indicators project has developed aggregate measurements for the rule of law in more than 200 countries, as seen in the map at right. Other evaluations such as the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index show that adherence to rule of law fell in 61% of countries in 2022. Globally, this means that 4.4 billion people live in countries where rule of law declined in 2021. The preamble of

3900-418: The supreme power in some particular persons, they should be appointed to be only guardians, and the servants of the laws." The rule of law implies that every person is subject to the law, including persons who are lawmakers, law enforcement officials, and judges. Distinct is the rule of man , where one person or group of persons rule arbitrarily. The earliest conception of rule of law can be traced back to

3965-571: The television series Make It Pop Other uses [ edit ] Rule (surname) The Rule (film) , a 2014 American documentary Ruler (film) , a 2019 India Telugu-language film Pushpa: The Rule , a 2024 Indian period action film Rules: Pyaar Ka Superhit Formula , a 2003 Bollywood film rule: a snippet of code which can perform email filtering Rule (horse) (born 2007), American racehorse Rules (restaurant) , upscale English restaurant in London Rules! ,

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4030-416: The term rule of law, consistent with the traditional English meaning, contrasts the rule of law with the rule of man . According to the functional view, a society in which government officers have a great deal of discretion has a low degree of "rule of law", whereas a society in which government officers have little discretion has a high degree of "rule of law". Upholding the rule of law can sometimes require

4095-409: The trust put in it. Freedom then is not what Sir Robert Filmer tells us, Observations, A. 55. a liberty for every one to do what he lists, to live as he pleases, and not to be tied by any laws: but freedom of men under government is, to have a standing rule to live by, common to every one of that society, and made by the legislative power erected in it; a liberty to follow my own will in all things, where

4160-468: Was based more upon the instability presented by contested claims than thoughtful adherence to constitutional principles. Until 1534, the Church excommunicated people for violations, but after a time Magna Carta was simply replaced by other statutes considered binding upon the king to act according to "process of the law". Magna Carta's influence is considered greatly diminished by the reign of Henry VI , after

4225-410: Was known) and states in one of its slokas that, "A King who after having sworn that he shall protect his subjects fails to protect them should be executed like a mad dog." and also that, "The people should execute a king who does not protect them, but deprives them of their property and assets and who takes no advice or guidance from any one. Such a king is not a king but misfortune." Other sources for

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