Year 10 - Citizenship
What threatens the rule of law today?
Why is the rule of law important?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit analyses how the rule of law operates in contemporary Britain. Pupils evaluate threats to fairness, including inequality, abuse of power and barriers to justice, and examine the role of citizens in upholding the law.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to analyse the threats to the rule of law in the UK today.
Key Notes
- Abuse of power undermines everyone following the law.
- Laws applied unequally reduce fairness and trust in the system.
- Weak judicial independence threatens impartial decision-making.
- Barriers to justice prevent people from challenging unfairness.
Vocabulary To Learn
- rule of law: the principle that all individuals within a state, including government and leaders, are subject to the same laws and must follow them
- threat: a person or thing likely to cause damage or danger
- independence: judges are free to make decisions based only on the law and the evidence, without being influenced or pressured by the Government or other powerful groups
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The rule of law always works perfectly.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Abuse of power undermines everyone following the law. Laws applied unequally reduce fairness and trust in the system.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'rule of law'
the principle that all individuals within a state, including government and leaders, are subject to the same laws and must follow them.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: The rule of law always works perfectly. Correction: There are real threats today, including abuse of power, inequality, weak courts, and barriers to justice.
More Lessons In This Unit
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