The Aims of Law

Law has several aims. They are all concerned with making society more stable and enabling people to (1 – процветать). The law forbids certain ways of behaving like (2 – убийство, 3 – письменная клевета),and requires others,like paying (4 – подоходный налог). If people (5 – не подчиняться правилам) the law threatens them with something unpleasant (often called a (6 – санкция)), like being punished or having to (7 – выплачивать компенсацию). The idea is that within this framework of do’s and dont’s people can (8 – жить в безопасности). If they are more secure they will treat one another better.

A second aim is the following. Laws guarantee to people who buy and sell goods, (9 – составлять завещания), form companies and so on that the state will if necessary (10 – обеспечивать соблюдение) these arrangements.

A third aim is to (11 – разрешать споры) about what the law is and whether it (12 – нарушен). Taking these three aims together, we see that law not only (13 – угрожать) those who do what it (14 – запрещать) but promises to (15 – защищать) people’s interests. It (16 – накладывать ограничения) on them but also gives them certain guarantees.

Lastly, a very important aim of law is to settle what the system of government is to be. Today and for the last few hundred years we have been mainly (17 – управлять) by sovereign states. That is changing. We are now increasingly governed, indirectly or directly, by (18 – международные организации), for example the (19 – Европейский Союз). But the state still occupies centre stage, especially when it comes to (20 – обеспечить соблюдение законов).

E Collocations

1 Look at the expressions in the box below.

Which means…

a suspected of having committed a crime?

b she doesn’t follow rules?

c we are all equal in the eyes of the law?

d take revenge without using the legal system?

e bossing people about?

f what I say must be respected?

g illegal?

h obeying and respecting the law?

i legally?

a law unto herself laying down the law against the law take the law into my own hands no one is above the law by law in trouble with the law law-abiding my word is law

2 Complete these sentences with the expressions in 1.

a After years as a ________ citizen, John decided to rob a bank and flee the country.

b Policeman: You were doing 160 kilometres per hour.

Prince: Yes, but do you know who I am?

Policeman: Yes, but ________.

c There was a constable here earlier. I think Mark’s ________ again!

d I was tempted to ________ and wring his neck.

e ‘Do this! Do that! Be back by 10!’ My father was always ________.

f You can never tell what Ruth’s going to do. She’s ________.

g I’m the boss and ________.

h Most Europeans are required ________ to carry ID cards.

i In some countries it’s ________ to chew gum.

Discussion

Look at the proposals for laws below. Discuss with your group which would affect you personally. Which of these laws would make the world a better place?

a No one should work more than a 32-hour week.

b Shops should all be open 24 hours a day.

c Cars should be banned from city centres.

d The dropping of chewing gum should be forbidden.

e Mobile phones should not be used in public areas.

Over to you

“Society can do without lawyers.”

Write a paragraph containing two arguments for and two against this statement. Then discuss your answer with other students.

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