Law is the collection of rules and principles governing social behavior. It serves four principal functions: establishing standards, maintaining order, resolving disputes, and protecting liberties and rights. Law is a dynamic concept and varies from place to place as it reflects the values and beliefs of a society. It also serves as an instrument for bringing about desired social change.
The law shapes politics, economics, history and society in various ways. In addition to regulating everyday social behaviour, the law may be used to settle civil and criminal matters such as torts (accidents), contract and real estate disputes, and offences against a state or community such as murder and treason. It may also be used to regulate space activities, such as commercial, scientific and military activities within and beyond Earth orbit, or to settle issues arising out of international treaties, such as the International Space Station treaty.
In many countries, the law is made and enforced by a central authority. This authority can be a parliament, a legislature, an executive, or a judicial body such as the Supreme Court of Canada. In some countries, the laws are based on a constitution. In others, they are based on a body of jurisprudence developed over time by judges and enacted by legislative bodies.
The laws are derived from both legal and historical sources. The legal sources give law its content and legitimacy, while the historical ones influence laws without affecting their validity. The law can also be influenced by ideas from outside the legal field, such as the principles of natural justice or the will of a deity.