Foundations of the Legal System - Chapter 1 (Vocabulary)

Key vocabulary terms from lecture notes on what law is, where it comes from, and the natural vs. positive law debate.

Law

Rules created by the government and enforced by state authorities.

Promulgated

Laws that are created and published so the public knows them.

Enforced

Authorities, such as police, who ensure laws are followed.

Source of law

Origin of laws—the government creates them and state forces enforce them.

Natural law

Broad universal principles of morality and justice that apply across cultures; aims to include many people (e.g., not killing).

Positive law

Law as written and applied by legislators and officials; emphasizes concrete rules and enforcement.

Treaty

Formal international agreement between countries that creates binding obligations (e.g., UN Charter).

UN Charter

An international treaty that establishes binding standards among states.

Constitution

Foundational domestic legal framework (e.g., US Constitution) defining government powers and citizens' rights.

Conscience

Inner sense of right and wrong guiding whether to obey or disobey laws.

Civil disobedience

Deliberate violation of law in protest when the law conflicts with conscience or natural-law principles.

Henry David Thoreau

Philosopher who argued conscience is superior to state laws and that unjust laws should be disobeyed.

Civil rights movement

Historical push to end laws that denied equal rights; illustrates conflict between natural and positive law.

Circle metaphor (natural law)

A visual image of natural law as a circle that includes most people; those outside are out of bounds.

Conflict between natural law and positive law

Tension when universal moral principles clash with written laws, sometimes justifying civil disobedience.