We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
With these words, a people united to constitute a government with a fundamental purpose: to uplift them and protect them from tyranny through the Rule of Law. But the real beauty lies in the pedestrian impact of these lofty aspirations: in the apartment building that does not collapse because there’s a building code and an unbribable inspector enforcing it. In the opening of a new bakery enabled by regulatory transparency and attainable capital. In the jury that does not rubber-stamp the prosecutor.
In other words, The Rule of Law insists on our shared humanity. But what exactly is it? Let’s explore.
To view the infographic, click here.
“A smaller percentage of citizens in the Western world view democracy as necessary for personal freedom, human rights, prosperity, and economic development. Democracy is anything but assured in the modern world.”
Professor Vlad Perju
“We are not Romans; we do not seek an empire. We are Americans, trustees of a vision and a heritage that commit us to the values of democracy and the universal cause of human rights.”
Politician and diplomat John Kerry ’76
“A country that can put men on the moon can put women in the constitution.”
US Representative Margaret Heckler ’56
Sources: ConstitutionFacts.com; NCSL Blog; Encyclopedia of American Politics; Ballotpedia; World Justice Project; World History Encyclopedia; National Archives; Britannica; Legal Equalizer App; Harvard Business Review; Rule of Law Institute of Australia; Rule of Law Education Centre; Legal Services Corporation; USLegal.