Rule of Law – SS1 Citizenship & Heritage Studies Lesson Note (Second Term)

The Rule of Law means that the law is the highest authority in a country. Everything done by the President, the Police, teachers and ordinary people must be based on the law, and the law treats everyone the same. Its three pillars are supremacy of the law, equality before the law and protection of fundamental human rights.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• explain what the Rule of Law means;
• state the three pillars of the Rule of Law;
• describe what equality before the law means;
• give reasons why the Rule of Law is important;
• identify things that threaten the Rule of Law;
• describe their own role in upholding the Rule of Law.

What is the Rule of Law?

Imagine we are playing a football match, but there is no referee and no rules. One player decides to pick up the ball with his hands and run into the net. Another player decides to trip everyone who comes near him. It would be a disaster.

A country is just like that football match. For everyone to live in peace and for things to work properly, we need “The Rule of Law.”

The concept of the Rule of Law was made famous by a man named A.V. Dicey. In very simple terms, it means that the law is the boss.

Everything done in a country (by the President, by the Police, by your teachers and by you) must be based on the law. No one can just wake up and decide to punish you because they don’t like your face. They must follow what is written in the “Rule Book” (The Constitution).

What are the three main pillars of the Rule of Law?

1. Supremacy of the law: The law is the highest power.
2. Equality before the law: The law treats everyone the same.
3. Fundamental human rights: The law protects your basic rights.

What is equality before the law?

This is the part of the Rule of Law that people talk about the most. It means that the law is “blind.” It doesn’t look at your face, your bank account or your family name.

• No special treatment: Whether you are a billionaire’s child or the child of a humble farmer, if you break a window, the law sees a “person who broke a window.”
• Same punishment for the same crime: If a Governor steals money and a clerk steals money, the law says they both committed “theft” and should face justice.
• Access to courts: Everyone, no matter how poor, should have the right to go to court to seek justice if they have been wronged.

Why is the Rule of Law important?

Without the Rule of Law, a country would fall into “The Law of the Jungle” (where the strongest person takes everything). Here is why we need it:

• It prevents dictatorship: It stops leaders from becoming “tyrants” who do whatever they want. It reminds them that they are servants of the law, and that the law does not serve them.
• It protects the weak: Because of the Rule of Law, a powerful person cannot just take a poor person’s land without following a legal process.
• It brings peace: When people know that the law will settle disputes fairly, they are less likely to fight or take revenge.
• It promotes fairness: It ensures that if you are accused of a crime, you are “innocent until proven guilty” in a proper court.

What are the threats to the Rule of Law?

Even though the Rule of Law is a great idea, some things can make it fail:

1. Corruption: When a judge takes a bribe to change a judgment, the Rule of Law is dead.
2. Immunity: Sometimes, certain leaders have “immunity,” which means they cannot be taken to court while they are in office. If this is misused, it can hurt equality.
3. Poverty: If a person is too poor to hire a lawyer, they might not get “equality before the law” because they can’t defend themselves properly.
4. Disobedience of court orders: If a court says “Release this man,” and the government or police refuse to do it, they are putting themselves above the law.

What is your role in the Rule of Law?

You might think this is only for lawyers and judges, but it starts with you.

• Follow rules: Obeying school rules and traffic laws is your way of practising the Rule of Law.
• Be fair: Don’t use your “seniority” to bully junior students. Treat everyone equally, just as the law should.
• Speak up: When you see something unfair, speaking up (in the right way) helps keep the law supreme.

Evaluation

1. State the three pillars of the Rule of Law.
2. Give two threats to the Rule of Law.
3. Story time: Imagine a rich man’s dog bites a poor neighbour. The rich man tells the neighbour, “I am too important to be sued.” Does this follow the Rule of Law? Why?
4. Discussion: Why do we say the statue of “Lady Justice” wears a blindfold over her eyes?

Assignment

Research: Find out who A.V. Dicey was and which country he came from.