The Rule of Law

Abstract

Though I am privileged to have the opportunity to share with you today my insights on the "Rule of Law", I must begin by noting what it is not, rather than by discussing what it is. In short, the Rule of Law precept is not some magical formula. In fact, even in my country, we are continually reminded that the rule of law doctrine requires constant oversight and effort. For instance, the Rodney King incident provides a dramatic and painful reminder of this principle.

On March 3, 1991, Los Angeles, California police officers apprehended Mr. King after a high-speed chase. As the world soon viewed through the lens of home shot videotape, the police brutally beat Mr. King, an African American, after he exited his car and purportedly failed to obey police commands. The incident served as the catalyst for months of social discord for Los Angeles and the nation at large — months filled with tension, anger, fear, outrage, racial animus, and at times, violence. Though by now most of the specific criminal justice issue arising from this incident have been resolved to some degree, the larger issues of systematic injustice remain the subject of debate. The point is simple, the Rule of Law principle is not a cruise control doctrine whereby law and order are self-regulating. It requires work and constant monitoring.