Letter of the law or the spirit of the law
Is it more important for you to follow the letter of the law or to follow the spirit of the law? In what circumstance would you believe the opposite to be true?
How does the rule of law affect business?
What would business be like in a land without any rule of law system? Be specific.
Sample Solution
Letter of the law or the spirit of the law
The letter of the law is what the law states while the spirit of the law is a social and moral consensus of the interpretation of the letter. The letter of the law versus the spirit of the law is an idiomatic antithesis. When one obeys the letter of the law but not the spirit, one is obeying the literal interpretation of the words (the “letter”) of the law, but not necessarily the intent of those who wrote the law. Conversely, when one obeys the spirit of the law but not the letter, one is doing what the authors of the law intended, though not adhering to the literal wording. The rule of law gives everyone a framework for how to act and operate. It holds people, businesses and government accountable for their actions. Without predictable rules and patterns to follow, doing business would be chaotic.
