Is it ever acceptable to break the law?

Asked by: Colleen Williamson  |  Last update: August 4, 2022
Score: 4.1/5 (12 votes)

Not necessarily. Even if there is a duty to obey the law, it might be trumped in specific cases by considerations of justice. Even if there is such a duty, then, unlawful strikes, whistle-blowing and other acts of disobedience might be justified.

Is it ever justifiable to break the law?

It is now widely agreed that a person can be morally justified in breaking a law, even a valid law in a democracy whose institutions are by and large just. There is much less agreement, however, about the sorts of considerations that constitute good moral reasons in support of disobedience.

Is it okay to break unjust laws?

One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.

Is it morally wrong to break the law?

In short, if anybody ever has a right to break the law, this cannot be a legal right under the law. It has to be a moral right against the law. And this moral right is not an unlimited right to disobey any law which one regards as unjust.

When and why is it justifiable to break the law?

Thus, breaking the law becomes a necessity and can be justified because one cannot simply endure such unjust law. On the other hand, laws are destined to be perceived faulty by some, and to bring about a change or correct the incorrect, laws must be broken.

Is It Ever Okay To Break The Law? | 27 Pedestrians | PEDESTRIAN.TV

25 related questions found

Why is civil disobedience good?

Civil disobedience is nonviolent resistance to a government's law in seek of change. Civil disobedience is an effective way to bring about change because it is a harmless way of fighting an unjust law or idea, it can educate people about the cause, and it has been successful many times in history.

Did Martin Luther King believe in civil disobedience?

Using Civil Disobedience to Bring About Change

Like Gandhi, King used civil disobedience as a means of effectuating government change. It took the form of large-scale, non-violent refusals to obey government commands.

What are 3 examples of civil disobedience?

  • Fight for Women's Suffrage: UK 1928. ...
  • Segregation Defiance: USA 1955-56. ...
  • Wave Hill Walk Off: Australia 1966 - 1975. ...
  • The Sip-in: USA 1966. ...
  • Navy-Culebra Protests: Puerto Rico 1970. ...
  • The Tree Sitters of Pureora: New Zealand 1978. ...
  • Resistance to Toxic Mining: Estonia 1987. ...
  • Poll Tax Refusal: United Kingdom 1989 - 1990.

Is civil disobedience still relevant today?

Modern Acts of Civil Disobedience. Many individuals and groups use acts of civil disobedience to challenge modern human rights concerns, such as student loan debt, racially motivated killings, and climate change. Successful acts serve as inspiration as do failed civil disobedience examples.

Is the Boston Tea Party an example of civil disobedience?

Depending on the situation, civil disobedience can either negatively impact or positively impact a free society. For example, the Boston Tea Party, which occurred in 1773, was a form of civil disobedience. The Boston Tea Party was a protest against having to pay taxes.

Is civil disobedience non-violent?

On the most widely accepted account, civil disobedience is a public, non-violent and conscientious breach of law undertaken with the aim of bringing about a change in laws or government policies (Rawls 1999, 320).

Is protest civil disobedience?

Civil disobedience is a form of protest that involves the willful refusal to comply with certain laws. While it is not protected by the First Amendment, nonviolent civil disobedience has often been effective in achieving social change, and it has a particularly rich history on campus.

Why is civil disobedience not morally justified?

Civil disobedience in a democracy is not morally justified because it poses an unacceptable threat to the rule of law. In a democracy, minority groups have basic rights and alternatives to civil disobedience. as freedoms of speech, press, association, and religion.

What is the difference between rebellion and disobedience?

If someone is rebellious, he/she will rise against the authority and try to change what he/she does not like. A disobedient person will simply not obey orders.

What is the difference between passive resistance and civil disobedience?

civil disobedience, also called passive resistance, the refusal to obey the demands or commands of a government or occupying power, without resorting to violence or active measures of opposition; its usual purpose is to force concessions from the government or occupying power.

Who started non violence?

Gandhi (1869-1948), who opposed British imperial rule in India during the 20th century. Gandhi took the religious principle of ahimsa (doing no harm) common to Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism and turned it into a non-violent tool for mass action.

How did MLK break the law?

Southern police arrested civil rights protesters—including, on multiple occasions, King—for violating practically every criminal code provision: disturbing the peace, marching without a permit, violating picketing or boycott laws, trespassing, engaging in criminal libel and conspiracy.

Was MLK a nonviolent?

Martin Luther King, Jr. is remembered for his achievements in civil rights and for the methods he used to get there — namely, nonviolence. More than just a catchphrase, more than just the “absence of violence,” and more than just a tactic, nonviolence was a philosophy that King honed over the course of his adult life.

What is something that is legal but morally wrong?

Cheating on your spouse. Breaking a promise to a friend. Using abortion as a birth control measure. People can not be arrested or punished with imprisonment or fines for doing these things.