Role of Law in Social Change

Law is one of the forms of social science. Social science exists because of law. The society and the law are very closely related to each other. The social world changes every second. These changes occur because of the contrasting views in the minds of the indigenous people. We cannot expect laws that were constituted a decade before to be applicable in the current scenario. Therefore changes in law bring out the positivity and brighter side of social change and shun the negativity that is still incorporated in our societies, fulfilling the social needs of the people. Law is centered in different social institutions, socio-economic networks, social processes etc. These social factors influence the procedure of law. Law at the same time can also change norms in various ways. For example, the legal abolition of untouchability in India, has been one of the many attempts to change a long standing social norm but unfortunately it has not yet succeeded due to the lack of social support by the masses. The term 'social change' talks about the changes that take place in human interactions and inter-relations. It also describes the different changes that take place in various social institutions, social processes, social organizations etc., including the alterations in the structure and functions of the society.