ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Radbruch formula

Okay kiddo, the Radbruch formula is a fancy way of saying that sometimes, the law isn't always fair or just. It was made up by a man named Gustav Radbruch who was a judge in Germany a long time ago.

So, imagine you are playing with your toys and your brother or sister takes one of your favorite toys without asking. You might feel upset and think that it's not fair, right? That's sort of like what the Radbruch formula talks about but with bigger, more serious things like laws.

The formula says that if a law is really unfair– like it goes against basic human rights or it's just plain cruel– then the law shouldn't be followed. This means that even if the laws in a country say that something is okay, if it's really, really wrong, then people don't have to do it.

For example, if a law said that it's okay to hurt someone just because they look different, that would be really wrong, and people shouldn't have to follow that law. The Radbruch formula helps people understand that sometimes, we need to stand up for what is right and fair, even if it means breaking some rules.