ABSTRACT
The rule of law is one of those broad principles that is so fundamental to good governance and a decent political society that it receives virtually unanimous endorsement in Western countries. Lawyers especially are committed champions of the rule of law, perhaps because they have a more highly trained appreciation of its character and benefits, and perhaps because of a sense of professional ownership and propriety. The rule of law, however, is more celebrated than critically examined, and as a consequence its precise meaning and application are often vague and lacking in specificity. moreover, the ownership of lawyers tends to skew the principle towards legal precepts and rules, or to bringing politics within an overarching legal domain.
