A theory

[erratio]

The more I learn about how society works the more I think that most laws/rules that are put in place aren't actually intended to be followed to the letter, but are there to ensure that people only break them infrequently and in relatively safe ways

Comments

Breaking the law

[anonymous]

In a course at uni, we learned about a guy called Emile Durkheim who claimed that in every society there will be crime, regardless of how strict the laws are, because laws will always be set at a level which doesn't reflect the behaviour of 100% of the population (by definition). It's kind of like what you're talking about - that society sets standards in order to direct behaviour, not in order that there will never be violation of those standards.

Re: Breaking the law

[erratio]

Hmm, it also occurs to me that if governments expected laws to be followed properly they also wouldn't rely so much on revenue generated by catching people in the act of breaking them, since a modest fine is the law equivalent of a slap on the wrist and does almost nothing to deter.