IELTS Writing Task 2 : Society
Society is based on rules and laws. If individuals were free to do whatever they want to do, it could not function.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above statement?
Sample Answer :
Rules and laws are the basis of most modern-day societies. Some people believe that society could not function if people were free to do as they please. I partly agree with this idea, and will discuss the issue in the following essay.
Many people fear that society would deteriorate into chaos if there were no rules or laws in place to control people’s behaviour. They believe that rules and laws exist in order to set boundaries so that people behave in a way that is conducive to a peaceful and functioning society. I believe this is true to a certain extent. For example, if there were no laws or rules, and therefore no police to enforce those rules, then a certain number of people may try to take advantage of such a situation and some upheaval may result as a consequence. However, this would only be temporary, as I believe that the majority of human beings are good people and would ultimately unite against those who were causing distress to the rest of society, once again resulting in a peaceful state.
However, I do believe that the amount of laws and rules that people are subjected to in most modern-day societies causes more harm than good. Most laws and rules these days benefit a minority of people, while the majority are still being affected by the very rules and laws that are there to protect them. For example, in many countries it is illegal to own a gun. However, when a criminal breaks into their home and attempts to murder them with a dangerous weapon, they are unable to defend themselves effectively. Furthermore, many rules and laws these days favour the rich and oppose the poor. That is why in most countries the gap between the rich and poor is getting bigger and bigger.
In conclusion, I believe there only needs to be one universal law, “Do no harm to others”. The innate goodwill and intelligence of human beings will naturally create the most peaceful and productive human societies possible, without the endless amounts of unnecessary rules and laws of today.
(353 words)
