Abstract:
Associations and societies of people reflect a basic human attribute. Man is a social being who by his very nature associates in groups in order to fulfil his essential needs. These groups vary in size, function, duration and importance, depending upon the need which is being fulfilled.
Social groups are subject to controls, one of the most important being the control exercised by the legal system over their activities. The way in which the law treats these groups will have a major effect upon the manner in which they operate, on the extent to which the State supervises their life, and on the degree of protection accorded the individuals dealing with them.
