Doe Quote by Howard Zinn
“It's a strange thing, we think that law brings order. Law doesn't. How do we know that law does not bring order? Look around us. We live under the rule of law. Notice how much order we have?”
About This Quote
Source Book: A People’s History of the United States, 1980
Law’s order is a myth; order emerges from social structures, not merely legal rules.
In simple terms: Law alone doesn’t create order; society does.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about law and order.
Themes
law
order
social contract
critical thinking
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- community organizing
- legal reform
- education curricula
Key Concepts
political science
philosophy
history
Questions to Reflect On
- How does law influence social order?
- What alternatives to law can maintain order?
A Different Perspective
Legal systems can still provide stability despite imperfections.
![“[T]he rule of law does more than ensure freedom from high-handed action by rulers. It ensures justice between man and man however humble the one and however powerful the other. A man with five dollars in the bank can call to account the corporation with five billion dollars in assets-and the two…” quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d59/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_accounts_t-he-rule-of-law-does-more-than-ensure-f_3224325.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)
