Module 1 establishes the foundational principle upon which the entire course rests: law exists before government and binds it. Students are introduced to law as a rule of right, not a command, policy, or statute, and learn why law exists solely to secure pre-existing rights to life, liberty, and property. Through clear examples, classical thinkers such as Bastiat and Paine, and the immutable rules of delegation, this module distinguishes authority from power, delegated trust from assumed usurpation, and explains why acts taken outside lawful authority are void from the beginning. By the end of the module, students gain the conceptual clarity needed to recognize the difference between law and force, and to understand why accountability is impossible unless law stands above government.