Chief Justice John Roberts[21] and Justice Stephen Breyer[22] also spoke and wrote to provide meaning and a better understanding of the rule of law and judicial independence. « Rule of law » means, first and foremost, « protection of property rights ». [90] The economist F. A. Hayek analyzed how the rule of law could benefit the free market. Hayek suggested that under the rule of law, individuals would be able to make wise investments and future plans with some confidence in a successful return on investment, when he said: « Under the rule of law, government is prevented from crippling individual efforts by ad hoc action. Within the known rules of the game, the individual is free to pursue his personal goals and desires, with the certainty that the power of government is not deliberately used to thwart his efforts. [91] Education plays an important role in promoting the rule of law and a culture of the rule of law. Essentially, it provides an important protective function in strengthening learners` abilities to cope with and overcome life`s difficult situations. Young people can make an important contribution to a culture of legitimacy, and governments can provide educational support that promotes positive values and attitudes in future generations.

[98] The rule of law is considered one of the key dimensions determining the quality and good governance of a country. [42] Research, like the Global Governance Indicators, defines the rule of law as: « the extent to which agents trust and respect the rules of society, particularly the quality of contract, police and court enforcement, and the likelihood of crime or violence. » [42] Based on this definition, the Global Governance Indicators project has developed aggregate measures of the rule of law in more than 200 countries, as shown in the map on the right. [43] Various organisations are committed to promoting the rule of law. Law and order is at the heart of the general understanding of the rule of law. Most citizens of weak states see law and order as perhaps the most important asset of the rule of law. Law and order are essential to protect the lives and property of citizens – indeed, it is an important means of protecting the human rights of the poor and marginalized, who often face the greatest threat of social insecurity. With this ultimate goal, the rule of law is often opposed either to anarchy or to a vigilant form of justice in which citizens do not trust the state to punish wrongdoers and redress injustice, but take justice into their own hands and use violence to impose social order. [59] Courts play an essential role in upholding the rule of law, particularly when hearing complaints from minority groups or individuals who may hold minority views. Equality before the law is so integral to the U.S. system of government that when a majority, intentionally or unintentionally, violates the rights of a minority, the Court sees fit to hear both sides of the controversy in court.

The International Rule of Law Network (INPROL) is a network of more than 3,000 legal practitioners from 120 countries and 300 organizations working on rule of law issues in post-conflict and developing countries from a policy, practical and research perspective. INPROL is based at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in cooperation with the International Bureau of Narcotic Control and Narcotics of the United States Department of State, the Strategic Police Issues Unit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Unit of the Centre of Excellence for Police Stability and the William and Marry School of Law of the United States. [86] Affiliates include the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Folke Bernadotte Academy, the International Bar Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Police Women, the International Association of Corrections and Corrections Affairs, the International Court Administration Association, the International Security Sector Advisory Team of the Centre for democratic control of Geneva`s health. Armed Forces, World Association of Women Forensic Experts (WAWFE) and International Institute for Law and Human Rights. Five « elements » of the rule of law serve the purpose of law: In some recent writings, a distinction has been made between a « thin » constitutional state and a « fat » constitutional state. [49] A thin rule of law describes governance in a society where many of the procedural principles of the rule of law are respected, but not the elements of substantive justice and human rights protection. [50] An example would be a society that has a system of laws that apply to all its citizens and an effective judicial system to enforce those laws, but the system does not include strong human rights protection.

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