THEORY OF SOCIAL ENGINEERING

Lawyers are engineers like engineers, according to Pound, who created the theory of social
engineering. Just like engineers, lawyers apply laws to society based on their knowledge and
experience. Because it may give structure to the final result of societal satisfaction, much how
engineers use their expertise to construct their finished products, he compares law to
engineering.1

Pound thought that the law should be used as a tool of attaining balance and harmony because
every person puts their own interests above all others. The objective is to achieve maximum
happiness with the least amount of friction when an interest conflict emerges in a society. He
claimed that it is the duty and goal of law to step in and mediate when conflicts between self-
interest and collective interest arise.2

According to Pound, the practise of law is social engineering, which involves balancing the
conflicting interests of society. As a result, he established three areas of interest:

Individual interest
Personal interests, including those that are related to personality, material interests, including
those that are tied to employment and property, and domestic interests, including those that
are connected to marriage, the upkeep of a wife and kid, etc.

Public Interest
Political interests in a politically organised society include upholding its constitution and
safeguarding its natural resources.

Social Interest
The satisfaction of a person's or a community's social, religious, and economic interests is a
prerequisite for a peaceful way of life. These concerns essentially centre on issues such as
morality, peace, economic stability, and religious freedom.

1
Dr N. V. Paranjapee, Studies in Jurisprudence and Legal Theory, 6th edition 2011, Central Law Agency
2
C.N.SHANKER RAO, Sociology Primary Principles, 3rd edition 2000, Published by S. Chand & A ;
Company Ltd New Delhi