It was only when I began my law degree that I recognised the significance of the rule of law – as a concept that encompasses all our fundamental legal rights. Working at ½Û×ÓÊÓƵ as a Student Associate has helped me better grasp the importance of spreading awareness of the rule of law to other students like myself. Here, we'll explore what the rule of law actually is, before moving on to what we, as students, can do to preserve and advance this important legal principle.
The rule of law is a legal principle that means nobody is above the law. ½Û×ÓÊÓƵ has a rule of law definition that divides this principle into four key elements:
The rule of law is a longstanding principle dating back to the days of the Old Babylonian Empire, nearly 4,000 years ago. In the United Kingdom, elements of the rule of law were first enshrined into the law with the signing of the Magna Carta by King John in 1215, which paved the way for our current understanding.
But why is awareness of this principle important to students? Why is the rule of law threatened and what, as students, can we do about it?
As students, we are the face of the next generation. Many of us will enter professions that share a direct impact on administering the rule of law – not only in our own country, but others too.
We will be the ones determining how the rule of law is interpreted and applied in the future. It is an important responsibility. It’s time we look past our Public Law notes, and instead make use of the knowledge we already have regarding the rule of law. We should recognise it as something much bigger that we can be involved with that allows us to contribute back to society.
At home and across the world, the rule of law is constantly threatened. It's imperative that as students, we scrutinise and challenge legislative decisions that ensure our fundamental rights and the transparency of law is being protected.
We should stay aware of changes to governmental powers, enforcement or security that could, in turn, impact our rights. The prevalence of corruption and insufficient legal aid are further threats we should keep informed of. You can learn more about the UK’s legal aid deserts – where local demand outstrips local authority supply – in the ½Û×ÓÊÓƵ Legal Aid Deserts report.
To see the impact of the rule of law on society, take a look at the which measures the strength of the rule of law across the world. This tool examines a range of factors and quantifies the relationship between the rule of law and socio-economic development.
We’ve looked at why the rule of law matters to students, and we’ve also explored the various threats to it that exist in the modern world. So, what can we actually do to advance it?
As students, we can spend time researching and raising awareness on current issues that impact the operation of the rule of law throughout the world. We can question and challenge legislative decisions or raise awareness of reforms that need to be made in the law. We can volunteer in legal aid clinics. We can educate our friends and family.
There's a plethora of things we can all do, but it starts simply with awareness of the rule of law and its significance to ourselves and the wider world.
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