The law is a system of rules created by authorities and enforced by the state. It defines a variety of aspects of human life, such as property rights and civil justice (e.g., suing for damages from an auto accident). Criminal law punishes those who violate the law. Law is an extremely complex subject, and people have many different ideas about what it should be.

There are four principal purposes of the law: establishing standards, maintaining order, resolving disputes, and protecting liberty and rights. The specific functions of the law vary from nation to nation. For example, an authoritarian government may keep the peace and maintain the status quo but oppress minorities or its political opponents. On the other hand, a democracy may allow for peaceful social change while still preserving core human and procedural rights.

Legal philosophers have debated the nature of law for centuries. Utilitarian law scholars such as Jeremy Bentham advocated that the law consists of commands backed by the threat of sanctions. Natural lawyers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed that the law reflects moral and unchanging principles of nature.

The study of law involves exploring the deeper dimensions of this complex topic. It also examines the relationships between law and other areas of human knowledge. Articles that address the law in relation to its historical and philosophical background include constitution; philosophy of the law; law as a scientific discipline; and law and society. Articles that examine the law in relation to other social issues are human rights; judicial systems; and land reform.