Law Level

Law Level is an indication of the relative oppressiveness of the world (planet) of whom the law serves more: the inhabitants (...and visitors) [distributed power] or the government and politicians of a planet (...or polity) [centralized power].

• The more centralized or autocratic a government (polity) is, the more likely the higher laws codes will be more oppressive.
• The less centralized or more distributed a government (polity) is, the more likely the lower laws codes will be more democratic.

---

Please see the following AAB Library Data articles for more information:

• Observing Charted Space
  • Universal World Profile (UWP)
    • Starport (Sp)
    • Planetary Size (S)
    • Atmosphere (A)
    • Hydrosphere {H)
    • Population (P)
    • Government (G)
    • Law Level (L)
    • Tech Level (TL)
  • PBG Sequence
    • P: Pop Multipliers
    • B: Belts
    • G: Gas Giants
    • TZ: Travel Zone
  • COG Sequence
    • C: Climate
    • O: Orbit
    • G: Gravity
  • Other System Data
    • Allegiance Code (AC)
    • Base Code (BC)
    • Cultural Extension (Cx)
    • Economic Extension (Ex)
    • Importance Extension (Ix)
    • Sophont Code
    • Trade Classification (TC)

---

Description (Specifications)

UWP Data

The (Law Level) code of the UWP is categorized on the (UWP Law Level Code Table) to show prohibitions against weapons. It also influences the difficulty to avoid being harassed or arrested by local authorities.

The Law Level is only a guideline on local restrictions on possession and use of weapons by individuals. Police, Bonded Security and Military forces are usually not bound by these law levels, although they may be influenced by them. Private Security are bound by the same restrictions as individuals.

UWP Code Table

UWP Law Level Codes

Code	Description	Prohibited Weapons/Controls (including those of earlier codes)
0 (Zero)	No Law	No Prohibitions (Nuclear Weapons)
1	Low Law	Body Pistols, Explosives, poison gas
2	Low Law	Portable Energy Weapons
3	Low Law	Machine Guns, Automatic Weapons
4	Moderate Law	Light Assault Weapons
5	Moderate Law	Personal Concealable Firearms
6	Moderate Law	All firearms except Shotguns
7	High Law	Shotguns
8	High Law	Blade Weapons Controlled
9	High Law	No weapons outside home
A (10)	Extreme Law	Weapon possession
B (11)	Extreme Law	Rigid control of civilian movement
C (12)	Extreme law	Unrestricted invasion of privacy
D (13)	Mega-law	Paramilitary law enforcement
E (14)	Mega-law	Full-fledged police state
F (15)	Mega-law	All facets of daily life rigidly controlled
G (16)	Poly-law	Severe punishment for petty infractions
H (17)	Poly-law	Legalized oppressive practices
J (18)	Poly-law	Routinely oppressive and restrictive
K (19)	Ultra-law	Excessively oppressive and restrictive
L (20)	Ultra-law	Totally oppressive and restrictive
M (21)	Ultra-law	The government is not afraid to use mind control technologies or slavery.

History & Background (Dossier)

Law is an important component of developing civilizations and helps society to control or direct population behavior and focus on groups goals. Almost all technological and sophontic civilizations develop the concept law within TL-1 through TL-3 Technological Epoch.

Law is also a very handy tool for autocrats or dictators to establish and control power. Most societies have extensive experience with dictatorships (oppressive rule) and carefully monitor their laws in an effort to minimize or prevent inefficient governance.

References & Contributors / Sources

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• MegaTraveller Referee's Manual
• Periodical: Challenge 50 in Article: "Law In the Imperium" by: George William Herbert
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science