LEGALPOSITIVISM

"In any legal system, whether a given norm is legally valid,and hence whether it forms part of the law of that system,
dependsonitssources,notitsmerits."

Inthepositivistview,the"source"ofalawistheestablishmentofthatlawbysomesociallyrecognizedlegalauthority.
The"merits"ofalawareaseparateissue:itmaybea"badlaw"bysomestandard,butifitwasaddedtothesystembya
legitimateauthority,itisstillalaw.

JohnAustindistinguishingfeatureofalegalsystemistheexistenceofasovereignwhoseauthorityisrecognizedbymost
membersofasociety,theauthorityofwhichisenforcedbytheuseofsanctions,butwhichisnotboundbyanyhuman
superior.Thecriterionforvalidityofalegalruleinsucha societyisthatithasthewarrantofthesovereignandwillbe
enforcedbythesovereignpoweranditsagents.

ThethreebasictenetsofAustin'spositivismare:

lawsarecommandsissuedbytheuncommandedcommander,i.e.thesovereign;

suchcommandsareenforcedbysanctions;and

asovereignisonewhoisobeyedbythemajority.

Austin considered the law as commands from a sovereign that are enforced by threat of sanction. In determining 'a
sovereign',Austinrecognizeditisonewhomsocietyobeyshabitually.Thissovereigncanbeasinglepersonoracollective
sovereign such as Parliament, with a number of individuals, with each having various authoritative powers. Austin's
theoryisalsosomewhatbriefin hisexplanationsofConstitutions,InternationalLaw,nonsanctionedrules,orlawthat
givesrights.Insofarasnonsanctionedrulesandlawsthat allowpersonstodothings,suchas contractlaw,Austinsaid
thatfailuretoobeytherulesdoesresultinsanctions;however,suchsanctionsareintheformof"thesanctionofnullity."

AustinwasgreatlyinfluencedinhisphilosophybyJeremyBentham.