Legislative Social Change

INTRODUCTION

Law is rooted in social institutions, in socio-economic network. These social factors influence the course of law or the direction of legal change. This is the outcome of personal and social interactions which are variable and often unpredictable. At the same time, law may itself change social norms in various ways. Every society faces conflict and change. The law and its related institutions enable personal and social conflicts to be resolved in a controlled and basically non-violent manner.

Closer analysis of the role of law vis-à-vis social change leads to distinguish between the direct and the indirect aspects of the role of law.

1. Law plays an important indirect role in regard to social change by shaping have a direct impact on society. For example: A law setting up a compulsory educational system.

2. On the other hand, law interacts in many cases indirectly with basic social institutions in a manner constituting a direct relationship between law and social change. For example: A law designed to prohibit polygamy.

Law plays an agent of modernization and social change. It is also as an indicator of the nature of societal complexity and its attendant problems of integration.

Further, the reinforcement of our belief in the age old panchayat system, the abolition of the abhorables practices of untouchability, child marriage, sati dowry, etc are typical illustrations of social change being brought about in the country through law.

Law is an effective medium or agency, instrumental in bringing about social change in the country or in any region in particular. Therefore, we rejuvenate our belief that law has been pivotal in introducing changes in the societal structure and relationships and continues to be so.

Hence the objective of this project is to discuss how law has brought significant changes in the social fabric of the society by seeing as an important instrument in the social change. Some legislations will be analyzed to reach to the...