Many legal theorists maintain that laws are effective because we internalize them obeying even when not compelled to do so in a comprehensive reassessment of the role of force in law frederick schauer disagrees demonstrating that coercion more than internalized thinking and behaving distinguishes law from societys other rules reinvigorating ideas from jeremy bentham and john austin . Nature of the force of law on society have evolved over time within legal scholarship the first which he attributes to jeremy bentham and john austin suggests that the primary element of the law that shapes peoples behavior is command coercion linked to the ability of legal authorities to effectively sanction those who break rules. Many legal theorists maintain that laws are effective because we internalize them obeying even when not compelled to do so in a comprehensive reassessment of the role of force in law frederick schauer disagrees demonstrating that coercion more than internalized thinking and behaving distinguishes law from societys other rules. A the force of law consists in three things not one the imposition of duties the use of coercion and the exercise of social power these are different and distinct b even if coercion is not part of the concept of law coercion is connected to law in a variety of ways these are amply recognized in contemporary jurisprudence