View source for Law is strengthened through restraint

{{Tsm’syen Law Page
|title=Law is strengthened through restraint
|status=Working
|category=Tsm’syen Law
}}

== Core Principle ==
Law is strengthened through '''restraint'''.

== Meaning ==
In Tsm’syen law, strength is not measured by force, speed, or dominance.  
Law endures because authority is exercised with restraint, proportion, and care.

Restraint protects law from erosion, misuse, and reactionary decision-making.

== General Principles ==
* '''Restraint preserves legitimacy:''' Law loses authority when power is exercised excessively.
* '''Proportion over excess:''' Responses must match the nature and scale of harm.
* '''Protection of continuity:''' Restraint safeguards long-term relationships and governance.
* '''Authority through conduct:''' Lawful authority is demonstrated by how power is withheld.
* '''Balance over control:''' Strength comes from maintaining balance, not enforcing obedience.

== Lawful practice ==
Restraint may be shown by:
* delaying decisions until clarity is achieved
* refusing to act under pressure or provocation
* limiting the scope of authority to what is necessary
* choosing restoration over punishment where possible
* allowing witnesses and process to guide outcomes

== Limits ==
* Restraint is not weakness or inaction.
* Restraint does not excuse harm or wrongdoing.
* When restraint fails to restore balance, lawful correction is required.
* Authority that refuses correction loses legitimacy.

== Modern context ==
In modern governance, restraint protects law from:
* reactionary leadership
* politicization of authority
* spectacle-driven decision-making
* erosion of trust through overreach

== Cross references ==
* [[Restraint and responsibility]]
* [[Authority through careful speech and silence]]
* [[Elders help prevent escalation and misuse of power]]
* [[Elders prioritize balance over outcome]]
* [[Limits on authority]]
* [[Accountability before witnesses]]