<P> The influence of Britain, France and the United States contributed to spreading the principle of the rule of law to other countries around the world . </P> <P> The Oxford English Dictionary has defined "rule of law" this way: </P> <P> The authority and influence of law in society, esp . when viewed as a constraint on individual and institutional behaviour; (hence) the principle whereby all members of a society (including those in government) are considered equally subject to publicly disclosed legal codes and processes . </P> <P> Rule of law implies that every citizen is subject to the law . It stands in contrast to the idea that the ruler is above the law, for example by divine right . </P>

Factors necessary for the operation of rule of law