ABSTRACT
For quite some time now, law and society theorists have been preoccupied with at-tempts to explain the relationship between legal and social change in the context of development of legal institutions (see, for example, Anleu, 2009; Cox, 2006; McLeod and Thompson, 2010; Raz, 2009; Vago, 2004). These theorists, some of whom were discussed in Chapter 2, viewed the law as both an independent and a dependent variable in society and emphasized the interdependence of the law with other social systems. In light of the theoretical concerns raised earlier in the book, this chapter will further examine the interplay between law and social change. The law will again be considered as both a dependent and an independent variable-that is, as both an effect and a cause of social change. The chapter will also analyze the advantages and the limitations of the law as an instrument of social change and will discuss a series of social, psychological, cultural, and economic factors that have an influence on the efficacy of law as an agent of change.
