ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we will consider the purposes that law serves in society. We need, first of all, to classify the different types of law. The principal division is between civil and criminal law, but other classifications exist. We then move on to consider the types of rule that exist, such as moral, religious and legal, and consider why people obey rules, how rules change and how we can distinguish rules from other social phenomena, such as habits, customs, conventions and practices. This will then bring us to a discussion of the types of legal rules and their relationship with morality and justice. Finally, we will consider the constitutional context and how the law regulates the relationship between the citizen and the State.
