A deeper cut than "Constructed Legal Systems": this focuses on the fact that the very concept of "law" as a binding, abstract set of rules administered by a sovereign state is a human invention. It contrasts with other systems of order like custom, tradition, or religious edict. The authority of law is not innate; it is constructed through continuous performance in courts, police actions, and collective obedience.
Example: "A king's decree was law because he said so. A constitution's amendment is law because a process defined by the constitution itself says so. The Theory of Constructed Law shows that the source of law's power is always circular: it's powerful because we've all agreed to treat this particular constructed text or process as the source of power. Law is the ultimate 'because I said so' game that an entire society agrees to play."
by Abzu Land January 31, 2026
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