s/legal/social/ The legal system is just a buttress for social norms and conventions; and if the latter break down, there's not much hope for the former. Of c

s/legal/social/ The legal system is just a buttress for social norms and conventions; and if the latter break down, there's not much hope for the former. Of course, there are many legal issues that genuinely need lawyers and courts - for example, where there is real disagreement as to the meaning of a legal text such as a contract. But on the whole, the role of courts and lawyers is to tidy-up around the edges; if society only worked because of courts and lawyers, then it wouldn't really be working at all.