The Essence of Law

Law is an ordinance of reason. The word law derives from a Latin word which means to bind. Now, the rule or measure of human acts is reason; what binds a man in reference to human acts pertains to reason.

Law is an ordinance of reason for the common good of persons in a society. Law is not directly for the benefit of individual persons as such, although it binds individual persons. Law is primarily for the benefit of individuals in a group, in a society.

A law is thus an ordinance of reason for the common good. A law is made either by the society which it binds, or it is imposed on that society by the public personage who has charge ofthe society and authority to rule it.

A law must be promulgated. That is, it must be sufficiently announced and made known to those upon whom it lays obligation. Without knowledge of a law, a person cannot be guided by it in his human acts. The full definition of law is: an ordinance of reason, made and promulgated for the common good by one who has charge of a community or society.