In the state of nature envisaged by Thomas Hobbes, it is easy to imagine how the superior skill or strength (overly so at times) of certain individuals would make them obvious candidates for leadership that others might be pleased to – or wise not to – accept. This remains true in all human groups: natural leaders emerge and familiar aspects of social dynamics prompt others to submit to their authority, which could mean either accepting willingly or begrudgingly those rules leaders determine for them.

The law is the ultimate civil embodiment of such rules that society believes is essential for all citizens to follow in order to achieve peace, harmony and well-being. Civil society is premised on the rule of law; laws have to be made when required, and therefore a person, a leader, or a body has to be invested with the power to devise them, and there has to be an expectation that they will be observed. This in turn requires enforcement, which in turn requires the existence of suitably empowered agencies such as a police force and courts. But apart from this vital political level where rules formally enshrined as laws guide or punish members, we also have rules in daily life which are multi-faceted and permeate every aspect of our lives. Name any one area of public or personal life and certainly, immediately and without qualification, the rules that define it will be known and obvious. Thus, whether we like them or not, whether we choose to obey them or not, rules in whatever form, are inescapable.

Very often, rules exist to ensure order, equality and fairness. Take as an example the experience of most people in an education system. Internationally, the culture of education in schools, colleges and universities differs but what each has in common are rules that the participants must follow. Consequently, punishment ensues when those rules are not followed. At the basic level, there are timetables to be followed, perhaps uniforms to be worn, politeness to those in authority and deadlines to be met. Students infringing these rules will be punished, but these misdemeanours are considered to be rather minor matters. At a more serious level, there are very strict rules that are linked to deep issues of ethics and morality – cheating in examinations to get ahead unfairly, stealing intellectual property, defacing school buildings and furniture, and physical assault in the classroom or playground. Offend the sanctions that pertain to these matters and in any right thinking educational system, the punishment for breaking these rules should be swift, should be severe and should be irreversible. Such a response ensures fairness, even justice, for those that accept and follow the rules by providing an environment that gives equality of opportunity if not equality of outcome.