2008 civics test · Question 12 · Principles of American Democracy
What is the "rule of law"?
Any one of these answers is accepted
- Everyone must follow the law.
- Leaders must obey the law.
- Government must obey the law.
- No one is above the law.
What this means
The rule of law means that everyone must follow the law, including the people who make and enforce it.
A president, a senator, a judge, and a police officer are all subject to the same laws as everyone else. No one is above the law, and no one can be punished except according to law. This is what separates a constitutional government from one where a ruler simply decides.
Any of these answers is accepted:
- Everyone must follow the law.
- Leaders must obey the law.
- Government must obey the law.
- No one is above the law.
Pick the one that is easiest for you to remember and say. One is enough.
Why this is on the test
The rule of law is the idea underneath the whole system. It is why the Constitution can limit even the most powerful officials in the country.
How this question is asked
On the 2008 civics test, the officer asks up to 10 of the 100 questions out loud and you pass by answering 6 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion.
This question also appears on the 2025 civics test , as question 13.
Related questions
More from Principles of American Democracy.
- 1 What is the supreme law of the land?
- 2 What does the Constitution do?
- 3 The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
- 4 What is an amendment?
- 5 What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
- 6 What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment? ★ 65/20 question