We explain what a regulation is, how it is classified and the functions it performs. We also explain what its characteristics are and what laws are.
What is a regulation?
The regulation is called a document issued by some type of authority, in which a regulation is expressedIt may be legal, social, political or of any other nature, and the members of a community must submit to it.
The regulations arise from the institutions of a community and govern social peace within it, that is, they prevent and provide possible resolutions to conflicts that arise between its members.
Many regulations have national legal status and they express laws whose disobedience can lead to punishments examples such as prison. Others, however, have more defined and local areas of action, such as a club, a park or a board game, and apply only to those areas.
In all cases, These are express rules explained in writing.. In this way, anyone can have access to them and their existence does not depend on someone memorizing them (or altering them).
See also: Bureaucracy
Content of a regulation
The regulations They contain, in essence, rules.
These are guidelines, commandments, restrictions and, eventually, sanctions applicable to those who do not comply with said mandates.
These are normative texts, which impose on a human group a code of conduct or performancewhich being common to all allows for peaceful social interaction.
Types of regulation
Broadly speaking, we can think of two types of regulations:
- Generals. Those that propose a broad framework of rules and conduct to follow. They do not emphasize details or particularities, but rather propose rules of the game applicable to a specific area. For example, a general regulation of public order.
- Interns. Internal regulations are the property of a company, organization or club of any kind. They are only applicable (and revealed) to those who are active in said organization, since their scope of action is limited and local. For example, internal regulations for debates in a National Assembly.
What is the function of a regulation?
The regulations, as stated, They are custodians of order. They offer a human group a set of rules by which to govern themselves.
Minimize the chances of chaos arising, that the strongest impose their will or that each person does things in a different way. These situations would lead to friction and eventually violence.
The regulations are part of the social consensusof the set of regulations with which we build our societies.
It may be useful to you: Social norms
Classification of regulations
The regulations can be classified, broadly speaking, depending on their specific area of action, as follows:
- Legal regulation. Legal documents of the State in which a legal norm is expressed, usually in connection with the National Constitution. They are sanctioned by the legislative branch, approved by the executive branch, and constitute one of the sources of law.
- University regulations. Those regulations that set standards for the community of a university. It includes various topics, from the common use of its areas, to participation in scholarships or other plans organized by the Institution.
- Business regulations. Created by a company that wishes to regulate certain functions of its workforce, or that finds it necessary to organize different departments under a common code that takes into account the needs of the organization.
- Sports regulations. The one that regulates the exercise of a sporting discipline, within the framework of a sports association or guild.
- Technical regulations. A type of document that regulates the way in which certain products or services are produced, so that they are carried out in a unique manner, in accordance with precise standards (such as ISO).
- Promotional regulations. Those that concern commercial promotions, issued by an institution or store.
Structure of a regulation
A regulation usually contains all or some of the following parts:
- Header. It includes the title, sometimes subtitles or clarifications thereof. The purpose of the regulation must be clearly stated here.
- Preamble. Where an explanation is offered of the topic that the regulation will address, or its necessity, or of what you need to know in advance to read the regulation.
- Chapters or segments. The parts into which the body of the regulation is divided, usually ordered to go from the simplest to the most complex, or from the most general to the most particular. For example, you can start with some common definitions to ensure that everyone understands what the terms that will later be used to establish standards refer to.
- Articles or sections. Smaller parts within the chapters or sections, which refer to very specific events, that is, where they get to the point in an orderly manner regarding what is prohibited and what is permitted and the ways of doing things.
- Sanctions. The punishments that will be imposed on those who do not comply with the rules, or failing that, the place where they should go to consult the sanctions.
- Signature. The seal, signature or any sign that confirms the authority that issues the regulation and on which rests the authority from which the rules come.
Properties of a regulation
To serve properly, a regulation must be:
- Specific. He gets to the point with his points and does not stray into information that is not pertinent or that has already been clarified (or will be clarified) elsewhere.
- Tidy. The parts of the rules should be arranged in a logical reading order, allowing a user to look up specific information if desired, but also to get an overview of the rules from the beginning.
- Impartial. Since these are rules or laws, they must be objective and precise, without favouring any trend a priori.
- Clear. A regulation must be perfectly written, so that it can be read and understood without the need for other documents, translators or secret codes.
- Common. To operate, all individuals affected by the regulation must know it equally, since rules that are still ignored cannot be followed.
- Explicit. The rules of a regulation must be clear and upfront; they cannot be tacit or implied.
Validity of the regulations
The regulations They always have a certain validity. It is not contained within it, but is determined by the authorities that issued it in the first place and by the appearance of a new regulation in its place.
For example, If a board game company decides to change the rules of one of its products, will issue a new regulation that, when it comes into force, will make the other obsolete.
The consent
To abide by a regulation or not It is a voluntary actin which individuals put the common good and the organization of the community before the satisfaction of their personal desires.
Therefore, a regulation It works when the people it concerns know about it. and they accept it, following it voluntarily. If an entire community decides to ignore the regulation, then it will be a “dead” letter and a new one will have to be written.
Difference between law and regulation
The difference between law and regulation is a matter of hierarchy: Laws operate as inflexible norms of much greater weight than the regulations. Laws are endorsed by the authority of one or more institutions. On the contrary, the only thing that supports the regulations is the administration, that is, the administrative acts.
Examples of regulations
Some examples of regulations are: