Abiding by the rule of law

THE rule of law is one of the most important underlying principles of a democratic society. This broad principle has many facets with varying conceptions of what it entails among legal philosophers. Some legal philosophers argue that the rule of law embodies certain basic ideas in that laws must be open, clear, accessible, intelligible, predictable, coherent, and stable. The underlying value of this norm-guidance aspect of the rule of law is to enable citizens to regulate their conduct. Legal norms that do not conform to these requirements tend to be arbitrary because of the sanctity of self-autonomy in a liberal democracy that respects human dignity to make choices.