All laws are rules but not all rules are laws
The fact the laws are rules, but not all rules are laws means laws are enforceable, but rules are specific category of laws that support or clarifies how specific laws are to be enforced. There are several distinctions between rules and laws. For example, according to the 18th amendment of the Constitution, specific sections of the law prevent certain age groups from drinking alcohol, but it does not mean that everyone will adhere to this rule. Rules like married people should not commit adultery or everyone should love their neighbors are enforceable, but laws can be enforced like no one should steal or kill another human being. Even though rules can be interpreted to mean action made by the court, it does not necessarily mean that these rules can all qualify to be laws.
The court’s decision is called ruling, a process that refers to procedural regulation used by the court to deliver justice. Therefore, rules are sets of procedure for the court to administer justice. Laws are more like the legal part of the rules, for example, parents set rules to be followed, but in the society, the government set specific laws. If the rules are broken the consequences are mild compared to when the law is broken. Laws are enforced by the government official and anyone who breaks the law faces legal action.
Rules are flexible and guide individual behavior. For example, rules are set for games or at home to act as a guide. Rules are more personal and can be adjusted based on the condition and circumstances. Unlike rule, laws have to pass through a process for it to take effect, laws start as a bill and go through a series of checks and balances, and finally, it will be determined by votes. Laws are special legal rules that apply to every citizen as compared to rules. That is why laws are rules, but not all rules can be laws.
Laws are needed important more so in a country to maintain order and to prevent the society from falling apart, but rules simply help us live in harmony. Rules apply to specific areas like at home or school; rules prepare us to live in society. As young people grow, they learn rules and know that they can be held accountable for their action if they break the rules. With time, they become law-abiding citizens because rules have taught them how to live in society.
Rules only focus on a particular issue, for example, you will read articles stating specific rule like seven rules to become productive or 10 rules to lose weight you may decide to follow them or not depending on what you want to achieve. No one will arrest you or not follow the rules, but for laws, it is compulsory for everyone to abide by them. Both laws and rules are established to bring about order, promote fairness and safety, the weight of laws is heavier compared to rules because it keeps order in the society.
Emphasis is placed on laws because laws are legally binding and they are enforceable rules that require everyone to adhere to and they come with severe penalties. Rules, on the other hand, guides our conduct, but are not enforceable and when broken the punishments are not severe. Rules are normative and are set by individual compared to laws, meaning that the set of rules are standard of how people ought to behave, that is why it is right to say that all laws are rules, but not all rules are laws.
