Cecily Zamora
Breaking the law is generally considered bad because it goes against the social compromise that laws represent. However, there are some circumstances in which breaking the law can be justified. For example, when a law explicitly targets a group with the intention of oppressing or harming them, individuals may choose to break the law to engage the attention of other citizens and create public outrage over the injustice. Another example is when a law is considered bad, meaning it is not well-accepted by citizens and offends public sensibilities, making it difficult to enforce.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Breaking the law is bad because it is a social compromise | The determination of good and bad is based on power |
| Breaking the law is bad because it consumes excessive time, energy and resources | It will be difficult to enforce |
| Breaking the law is bad because it portrays those who write and enforce them as villains | It will cause those who write and enforce the law to lose heart |
| Breaking the law is bad because it is oppressive or harmful to a group | It is an incentive for individuals to publicly break the law to engage the attention of other citizens |
| Breaking the law is bad because it is morally flawed | We must judge laws on their moral merits |
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What You'll Learn
- Breaking the law can be justified if the law is 'bad' or morally flawed
- The law is a social compromise
- Civil disobedience can be used to engage the attention of other citizens and create public outrage over an injustice
- Laws are enforced by those in power
- Laws are difficult to enforce if they are not well-accepted by the citizenry
Breaking the law can be justified if the law is 'bad' or morally flawed
Breaking the law can be justified if the law is bad or morally flawed. A "bad" law is one that is not well-accepted by the citizenry, and is therefore difficult to enforce. If a law is bad, it will consume excessive time, energy and resources to enforce. Breaking bad laws can be a way of engaging the attention of other citizens, with the goal of creating public outrage over the injustice. This is a common tactic in civil rights conflicts, mostly stemming from Martin Luther King Jr and other protestors in the 1950s and '60s.
However, it is important to note that "bad" is a subjective term, and disagreement with the law is not in itself a sufficient reason to break it. Laws are in part a social compromise, and the determination of good and bad is based on power.
When considering whether to break a law, it is important to judge the law on its moral merits, and obedience should be conditional on this judgment. For example, many people justify piracy of academic books by certain popular publishers based on the fact that these publishers don't give any money to the people who create the content.
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The law is a social compromise
Breaking the law is bad because it goes against the social compromise that the law represents. The law is a set of rules that society has agreed upon to maintain order and ensure fairness. When individuals break the law, they are disrupting this compromise and undermining the stability that the law provides.
The law is created through a democratic process, reflecting the values and beliefs of the majority of citizens. It is designed to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals, while also establishing boundaries to prevent harm and ensure the smooth functioning of society. By breaking the law, individuals are disregarding the collective agreement that has been established through democratic means.
Furthermore, the law serves as a moral compass for society. It sets standards for acceptable behaviour and helps to shape societal norms. When individuals break the law, they are not only committing a legal offence but also a moral transgression. This can erode trust in the legal system and undermine the social contract that underpins our society.
However, it is important to recognise that the law is not static and can be subject to change. There may be instances where a law is unjust or no longer aligns with the values of a changing society. In such cases, individuals may choose to engage in civil disobedience to challenge the law and advocate for change. This can be a powerful tool for social change, as seen in historical civil rights movements.
Ultimately, the law is a reflection of the values and norms of a given society at a particular point in time. While it is important to uphold the law to maintain social order, it is also crucial to recognise that the law is not infallible and can be subject to change as society evolves.
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Civil disobedience can be used to engage the attention of other citizens and create public outrage over an injustice
Breaking the law is generally considered bad because it goes against the social compromise that laws represent. However, there are times when breaking the law is justified, such as when a law is oppressive or harmful to a particular group. This is known as civil disobedience, and it can be used to engage the attention of other citizens and create public outrage over an injustice.
Civil disobedience is a common tactic in civil rights conflicts, stemming from the actions of Martin Luther King Jr. and other protestors in the 1950s and '60s. The goal of civil disobedience is to create a crisis and foster tension so that communities that have refused to negotiate are forced to confront the issue. This is done by publicly breaking the law to engage the attention of other citizens and create public outrage over the injustice.
Civil disobedience campaigns need to engage in actions that educate the public, including their opponents, in order to be successful. They often seek media attention to bring issues to the attention of members of urban centres. This is because public attention is a scarce resource that different groups compete to secure. Civil disobedience stands out as a "moral shout" among all the noise.
The communicative aspect of civil disobedience can aggravate the offence, as it usually receives much greater publicity than covert violations. This forces legal authorities to address the concerns of law-abiding citizens who may feel distressed, insecure, or imposed upon if no action is taken. Civil disobedience can also inspire other citizens to take similar action.
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Laws are enforced by those in power
When a law is seen to be oppressive or harmful, there may be an incentive for individuals to break it publicly to draw attention to the injustice. This is a common tactic in civil rights conflicts, as seen in the 1950s and '60s with Martin Luther King Jr. and other protestors. In these cases, those who break the law may be seen as heroes, and the law enforcers as villains.
The idea that we must obey laws is conditional on their moral merits. For example, many people justify piracy of academic books by certain publishers based on the fact that these publishers do not give money to the content creators.
Breaking bad laws can have long-term effects, such as causing those who write and enforce them to lose heart as they are consistently portrayed as villains. However, it is important to note that disagreement with a law is not in itself a sufficient reason to break it, as laws are also a social compromise.
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Laws are difficult to enforce if they are not well-accepted by the citizenry
When laws are not accepted by the citizenry, they are difficult to enforce because those tasked with enforcing them will lose heart. This is because they are consistently portrayed as villains for trying to impose a law that citizens dislike.
Furthermore, enforcing laws that are not accepted by the citizenry consumes excessive time, energy, and resources. This is because those tasked with enforcing the law will have to spend more time and effort trying to convince citizens to comply with the law.
In some cases, citizens may even engage in civil disobedience to protest a law that they do not accept. This can take the form of publicly breaking the law to engage the attention of other citizens and create public outrage over the injustice.
Therefore, it is important for laws to be well-accepted by the citizenry to ensure that they can be effectively enforced.
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Frequently asked questions
Laws are a social compromise, and breaking them can lead to negative consequences for society as a whole.
There may be justifications for breaking a "bad" law, such as when a law is oppressive or harmful to a specific group. However, disagreement with the law is not in itself a sufficient reason to break it.
Breaking the law can lead to legal penalties, such as fines or imprisonment. It can also have social consequences, such as losing the respect of your community or being portrayed as a villain.
