The rule of law is an important element of a well-functioning society. Its formal and procedural character, accessibility, and substantive ideals all promote democracy. Yet, the rule of law alone cannot create a society of equal rights. To make it work, it must be accessible and epistemically accessible to people.
Rule of law
The Rule of Law is a system that requires people in authority to use their power within the confines of established norms of public behavior. As long as people abide by these rules, governments should operate within a legal framework and be held accountable by law when they take actions that are against the law. The Rule of Law is important for many reasons.
Although the concept of the Rule of Law dates back to ancient Greece, it has only recently come to the forefront of public discussion. For example, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy has said that when he was in law school in the 1950s, he had never heard the term.
Formal and procedural character
In terms of Rule of Law, there are two main concepts that need to be understood: the substantive and the procedural character of law. The former refers to the ways in which norms are administered and the institutions needed to achieve these goals. The latter, on the other hand, deals with the substantive ideals.
The rule of law is a system of rules that are established by an institution. The latter includes customary and unwritten aspects of the legal system. While formal laws are often the basis of a legal system, their application is not always uniform across jurisdictions. This can result in haphazard enforcement and illegitimate processes. In addition, informal laws may be the source of popular justice.
Substantive ideals
The Rule of Law is a working political idea that is the property of both lawyers and ordinary citizens. Its advocates include jurists, activists, and politicians, as well as philosophers. Although these groups may not always emphasize the same features, they do share a common goal: promoting rule of law.
Fuller defined law as the enterprise of subjecting human behavior to rules. Using this definition, he proposes eight tenets of procedural natural law.
Accessibility
British broadcasters must provide closed captioning and subtitled content to viewers with hearing impairments. In the UK, the Office for Communications sets the standards for closed captioning. By year 10, at least 80% of broadcast content must be captioned or subtitled. The Act also mandates that online broadcasts provide captions or subtitles.
The aim of the law is to close the gap for the disabled and make life easier for those with disabilities. Disabled people have an estimated spending power of PS275 billion a year, so businesses that fail to make their products and services accessible are risking losing millions of pounds. According to Nielsen research, people with disabilities are more brand loyal and spend more than the average consumer.