Natural law theory
A family of theories linking law to moral reason, justice, or human goods, often arguing that unjust rules lack full legal authority.
Natural law theory treats law as more than commands backed by institutions. It asks whether legal norms participate in reason, justice, human dignity, or basic goods. Some versions claim that extreme injustice undermines legal validity; others maintain that immoral rules may still be law but fail in their moral authority. In Swiss debates, natural-law reasoning appears in discussions of fundamental rights, constitutional limits, human dignity, and the relationship between democratic enactment and higher principles, especially where positive law leaves room for interpretation.