What Is The Difference Between Law And Morality?

Law is a system of rules that are enforced by institutions. These laws shape the way society exists as a whole. Law affects everything in society and there are a number of laws for individual elements in society. Examples of common laws that exist are criminal law, property law and international law.

Criminal law comes into play when a person harms somebody else in some way, whether it is through aggression, theft or other means. Property law defines the rights of people to own and sell property; this can include personal property such as belongings, as well as houses, flats etc. International law looks after the affairs between countries, and can include trade, the environment and military involvement.

There are three sections of government that create and enforce the law in a democracy; these are the judiciary, the legislative and the executive. The government of a country uses the police and the military to enforce the laws of the country.

Morality is a system that differentiates between right and wrong. The morality of individuals can depend on philosophies, religions and cultures. Morality is actually what is considered to be right or wrong by an individual or a group of people. Whilst it is not against the law to have an affair in some countries, it would be classed as immoral. So the law cannot have a say in this situation, but people will frown upon it as it shows a lack of morals and ethics.

Many religions preach morality and the difference between right and wrong; these morals are rubber stamped into people from a very early age, this provides the community with a feeling and a knowing of what is right and what is wrong.

Law is a system of rules enforced-by a set of institutions for civil, political, obedience,economic obedience in a society.
Its connotation is often in the term"Rule of Law".

Morality refers to  a code of conduct in matters of right and wrong. Morals may be created by and defined by one's society, philosophy, religion, or individual conscience. Some moral principles may be universally applicable as well. Morals are same as the "ethics".

Laws are what sets control and structure. They set limits and are in stone. Morals defer depending on the ideals you have they are the criterion for what you believe is right or wrong.

The difference between law and morality is punishment.

Breaking law is punishable in the court,, but morality is not

In the movie based on the novel "Bonfire of the Vanities" in an outburst in court, the Judge played by veteran actor Morgan Freeman explains Justice to the attendants at court. "Justice" he says "is the law, and the law is man's feeble attempt to define the principles of decency. Decency is not a con or a hustle or an angle, it's in your bones, it's what your grandmother thought you". This argument purports law to be closely related to morals or ethics. It is an argument held by Natural Law as well.

In contemporary society, especially the West, secularism is paving the way for progressively outdating moral connotations in Law. Law under theories such as positivism argues that law be derived from existing customs and norms. There seems to be very little middle ground anymore with views being either completely radical or completely liberal.

It is not necessary that anything which is legally correct may be considered moral and also that anything which is not forbidden by law should be necessarily moral.