ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Economic analysis of law

Economic analysis of law is a way of looking at rules and regulations that are supposed to keep things fair and equal for everyone. It's like playing a game where there are rules to follow, so everyone has a fair chance of winning.

Lawyers and judges use economic analysis of law to understand how people behave when given these rules. They want to make sure the rules actually work and don’t end up causing more harm than good.

Imagine you and your friend are sharing a bag of candy. You want to make sure your friend doesn’t take all the candy for themselves. You make a rule that you both get one piece each, to make it fair. This is like a law.

Economic analysis of law would look at what your friend might do under this law. Maybe they will try to take bigger pieces of candy, or maybe they will take the last piece before you get a chance. The law might need to be adjusted to make sure it is fair and effective.

People who study economic analysis of law also look at how much it costs to make these laws and whether it is worth it. It’s like trying to decide if you want to spend all your pocket money on candy or save it for something else.

Overall, economic analysis of law is about making sure everybody can play and enjoy the game together fairly.