Comparative law is the study of differences and similarities between the
law of different countries. More specifically, it involves study of the different legal systems in existence in the world, including the
common law, the
civil law,
socialist law,
Jewish Law,
Islamic law,
Hindu law, and
Chinese law. It includes the description and analysis of foreign legal systems, even where no explicit comparison is undertaken. The importance of comparative law has increased enormously in the present age of internationalism, economic globalization and democratization.