Without Rule of Law

I’ve been asked when do I think we’ll be in a without rule of law situation. That’s a tough one. 

Look around the world and see what’s going on right now. Sri Lanka is a recent example. When protesters are swimming in the president’s pool things have fallen pretty far. The country is essentially bankrupt. It’s still not in complete collapse. The government’s been replaced and the new people are going to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout. They think the country will be stabilized in a year. 

That might be optimistic but time will tell. The thing about a country like Sri Lanka is that they are part of an International community. Outside forces can help restore order. Sri Lanka could even sort their own problems out themselves. While the rule of law is shaky there, it hasn’t totally disappeared. 

Haiti is another country where the rule of law is pretty spotty. It doesn’t help that the police are greatly outgunned by the gangs. They still have rule of law. Enforcement might be sketchy, but it’s there. If you are poor and not politically connected you’d better believe you must watch out for the law enforcers. 

Power vacuums do not last for long. When gangs become powerful enough they make their own laws and government. It’s pretty rough and ready, but it exists. Over time there are gangs and terrorist groups that end up being the legitimate government. 

We sometimes experience lawless situations in the US. In New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina there were areas without rule of law. It was temporary, but for a few days law enforcement was pretty darn thin on the ground. 

Being without rule of law is not necessarily a time of total chaos. A generally polite and civil society is your best protection. Most people do the right thing because they want to be good people. Law enforcement is actually only effective if most people act that way. It’s the outliers that need laws and law enforcement. 

If we are lucky, we’ll never experience true lawlessness. When laws and civil society both break down it’s ugly. That’s one reason why so many people settle for crappy governments. While they aren’t great, the population knows what chaos is like and don’t want any more of it. If you need an example look at the current state of Egypt. 

-Sixbears