In civilized societies, laws and rules ensure peace, order, and the smooth functioning of day-to-day affairs. Despite their similarities, laws and rules are different in several ways.
Key Takeaways
- Laws are written and codified guidelines for individuals and groups to follow, while rules can be unwritten and uncodified.
- Violating laws results in legal consequences and punishment, while breaking rules leads to social disapproval or censure.
- Laws are made by elected representatives within the legislature, while rules evolve from traditions and customs within a society.
Laws
Laws are guidelines that regulate the behavior of individuals and groups so that they do not harm the fundamental fabric of society. These guidelines are written, codified, and include provisions for dealing with violations. Laws are created by the government, but generally, introducing, passing, and amending laws is the responsibility of the legislature, which consists of elected representatives of a country’s people. The judiciary oversees any violations of these laws, which are put in place to maintain peace and order in society.
Rules
Organizations establish rules to ensure smooth functioning and harmony among their employees. Similar rules exist at every level of society, where unwritten and uncodified rules are observed to avoid disapproval from others. For example, in a classroom, students talking or laughing while the teacher is explaining something is considered improper conduct because it breaks the rule of maintaining silence. Likewise, societal rules have evolved over thousands of years of human interaction.
Rules can also be created for safety and security reasons, such as prohibiting smoking inside a chemical factory or establishing traffic rules to prevent chaos on the road.
Laws vs Rules
Although both laws and rules maintain peace and order in society, they differ in several ways. Laws are written and codified, while rules can be unwritten. Laws carry legal consequences and punishment for violations, whereas rules do not. Enforcement authorities such as the police and judiciary exist for laws, while rules are followed by individuals themselves. Laws are created in the legislature by elected representatives, while rules develop from traditions and customs in society. Violating rules leads to social disapproval, while violating laws results in punishment by the judiciary.
