rule of law

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the principle that all individuals, institutions, and state organs are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced, and independently adjudicated, and that no person or body is above the law; a foundational concept in constitutional theory contrasted with arbitrary rule or rule of men; encompasses requirements of legal certainty, non-retroactivity, procedural fairness, and judicial independence, and is considered a prerequisite for liberal democracy and the protection of fundamental rights