Sobre el imperio de la ley

“The rule of law is the only alternative to the rule of force. Only under the rule of law can human beings live in freedom and peace. If we do not submit to the law, the law of the strongest, the jaws of totalitarianism lurk and threaten to devour freedom and coexistence,” the author states in the introduction to this book. The rule of law is a legal concept that subjects state action to a fundamental rule: the Constitution. Human dignity is a basic value of the Constitution itself, which is necessarily linked to freedom, including political freedom, that is, to democracy. The rule of law, or the legal state, highlights that the principle of constitutional law is to protect the dignity of individuals. However, for the law to have an impact on the social conscience—not so much that of lawyers but of society as a whole—it is necessary to foster a civic culture through teaching and education, as well as through the actions of institutions and individuals. And if this fails, the rule of law will also fail, because, while the safeguards for protecting the rule of law are primarily legal, they are also political and social. Javier Cremades, a jurist of renowned international prestige, points out in *The Rule of Law* that today's threats—and there are numerous examples in our current times—stem not so much from totalitarian regimes as from the corruption in some countries and the interference of populist movements. To confront them, the rule of law is the only possible alternative to irrationality and the use of force.