Understanding Moral, Legal, and Social Norms in Society
Understanding Moral, Legal, and Social Norms
In today's pluralistic society, the legitimacy of political power can only be configured as rational-legal. Procedures must be established to ensure the agreement of all members of society regarding rules of social order and rules of coexistence. There are different types of standards that guide the conduct of individuals in society:
- Moral rules have a universal requirement, indicating how anyone should behave if they want to behave humanly. Each person has to assume these rules consciously and freely, as they are binding in conscience. These rules are the area of morality.
- Legal standards are set by the authorities within each political community and are addressed to all inhabitants of the territory.