If you want to read more: the concept is called "the dual state" [1] after the eponymous book [0] I agree that the phrase is somewhat contradictory, but it is

If you want to read more: the concept is called "the dual state" [1] after the eponymous book [0] I agree that the phrase is somewhat contradictory, but it is the best way to describe what was going on. As long as you were within the confines of the normative state, you experienced a rule of law. But as soon as you stepped into the prerogative state, anything could happen. So a "rule of law", except that it didn't apply to everybody, but only to most people. And importantly, the existence of the prerogative state is mostly hidden when you're in the normative state (so unlike a king, which everybody knew was outside of the law) [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dual_State https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dual_State [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_state_(model) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_state_(model)