Rule of Law
The rule of law is a legal principle that states that no one is above the law. It is a fundamental principle of justice that all people and institutions are subject to and accountable to the law. This means that the law is supreme and that all citizens, regardless of their social or economic status, are equal before the law. The rule of law is essential for the protection of human rights and for the promotion of social justice.
History of the Rule of Law
The concept of the rule of law has its roots in ancient Greece and Rome. The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote about the importance of the rule of law in his work Politics, stating that “law should govern”. The Roman legal system, which was based on the Twelve Tables, was the first to codify the rule of law. The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, is often seen as the first document to establish the rule of law in England. The American Revolution was also a major milestone in the development of the rule of law, as the Founding Fathers sought to create a government based on the rule of law.
Comparison of Rule of Law
Country | Rule of Law Score |
---|---|
United States | 0.87 |
United Kingdom | 0.86 |
Germany | 0.85 |
France | 0.83 |
Japan | 0.81 |
Summary
The rule of law is a fundamental principle of justice that states that no one is above the law. It is essential for the protection of human rights and for the promotion of social justice. The concept of the rule of law has its roots in ancient Greece and Rome, and was codified in the Magna Carta and the American Revolution. Comparisons of the rule of law in different countries can be seen in the table above. For more information about the rule of law, please visit the websites of the World Justice Project, the United Nations, and the International Commission of Jurists.
See Also
- Natural Law
- Constitutionalism
- Separation of Powers
- Checks and Balances
- Due Process
- Equality Before the Law
- Judicial Review
- Habeas Corpus
- Civil Liberties
- Human Rights