Lead-in

Introduction to Law

Russian Federation

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Lead-in

1 Look at the pictures. Can you name any of the events, people or the buildings? Match them to the pictures.

1. debates

2. elections

3. the Kremlin

4. the leader of a political party

2 Scan the abstract and explain the term “Law”.

What is “Law”?

This is mostly a philosophical question, which probably has no answer, but some theorists have attempted to do so. It is possible to describe lawas the body of official rules and regulations, generally found in constitutions, legislation, judicial opinions, that is used to govern a society and to control the behaviour of its members. So law is a formal mechanism of social control. Legal systems are particular ways of establishing and maintaining social order.

 

3 Read the quotes of famous philosophers and jurists explaining the term “Law” and choose the one you like best. Compare with a partner. Give reasons.

John Austin (English jurist born 1790)

"A body of rules fixed and enforced by a sovereign political authority.";

Professor Hart (Oxford Professor of jurisprudence, born 1907)

“Law is a system of rules, a union of primary and secondary rules.”

Karl Llewellyn (American legal scholar born 1893)

"What officials do about disputes.";

Thomas Hobbes (English philosopher born 1588)

"Law is the formal glue that holds fundamentally disorganized societies together.";