LAW, POWER, AND THE ILLUSION OF NEUTRALITY: A CRITICAL REFLECTION ON CONTEMPORARY LEGAL SYSTEMS
Authors
Julien Moreau ()Files
Abstract
Law is frequently presented as a neutral system of rules, operating independently of social and political forces. This paper challenges that assumption by examining the relationship between law and power from a critical legal perspective. Drawing on contemporary legal theory and socio-legal analysis, it argues that law does not merely regulate society but actively participates in the production and maintenance of power structures. The analysis explores how claims of neutrality obscure underlying inequalities and legitimize particular forms of authority. Rather than proposing doctrinal reform, the paper seeks to reframe legal understanding by foregrounding the inherently political nature of legal systems. The study contributes to legal scholarship by offering a critical lens through which law can be examined as a dynamic and contested social institution.
