You are stranded on an island with fourteen other individuals. How would you go about creating an effective legal framework within which to live?

NOTE: This is intended to be a verbal response to a potential 'Oxbridge' interview question.  A constitution is oft thought of as the foundation for a legal system. They can vary significantly between legal systems, but there is one common trait; at the basis of the constitution exists underlying principle, they rarely concern the legal particulars of everyday life, but instead seek to offer a foundation for the development of such law in the future.  However, within this 'new world' in which I have found myself, it is important to gauge and assess any potential aims of self-imposed laws, as they will inevitably differ from what a modern, developed society strives towards. For instance, the right to bear arms, or the right to free speech against a government, is unlikely to be of any worth in a world where administration is nil and the currency is coconut milk. Instead, it is apt to establish laws more akin to the more traditional 'human rights', such as those found in the European Convention of Human Rights. The most important would be laws such as "each individual has an immutable right to sustenance", and "torture upon any individual is prohibited". These broad rules are guided by a principle embedded in what one could consider a humanity inherent to living people. Further, they permit legal development that would sufficiently support the life we would (hopefully) establish for ourselves on this island.  This leads on to a further important issue concerning the development of our laws. Alongside foundational, immutable 'human rights', there is a necessity for a fair and followed system for developing our laws. We would have to decide on how to progress the rules by which we live, as our daily lives become more complex. Be that by simple election of a 'leader' who would dictate, or by each and every decision being the subject of democratic vote, I cannot say. Nevertheless, it is an extremely pertinent issue that would require addressing.  Given what I have said, I believe that a fair and inarguable foundation for a legal framework would be established, and scope for democratic development of it accounted for. 

Related Oxbridge Preparation Mentoring answers

All answers ▸

How many books should I have read around my subject before I go to interview?


A hypertensive patient asks you to choose his treatment without disclosing potential side-effects of different options as that would only make him anxious, he claims. Which medical and ethical issues would you investigate before proceeding?


Must all revolutions necessarily fail?


In my interview, what if they ask me a question on a topic I know nothing about?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2024

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy