Question

Is every unjust law an appropriate target for civil disobedience? Be sure to discuss Martin Luther King. Jr.'s arguments.

Answer 1

• Civil disobedience involves intentionally breaking a law; a protest involves intentionally getting attention from the media.

• Martin Luther King implies that the clergymen are ignorant of the abuses the clergymen used, but also insists that their discipline and their restraint from violence in public, does not make their actions just.

• In todays time,law system can be challenged as well by the general public.If a law is unjust and someone doesn't agree with it, there are ways to go about getting things taken care of without having to protest and making a big spectacle out of it. Unjust laws can be challenged and debated by the citizens of the country in a civil manner without using acts of violence or intentionally boycotting the laws.

• Every law cant be unjust for everyone,it could be just for some people as well. King said that everyone has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws but in today's time every unjust cannot be protested against. Since civil disobedience makes use of illegal means as well therefore,every unjust law cannot be targeted illegally as using illegal means is another way of breaking laws in the name of non-violent protests.

• Conflict between the two duties,i.e., primary duty to obey a valid law and duty to disobey an unjust
  enactment generally arises when the majority decides to legislate with total indifference to minority interests. If the burden cast on the minority is slight and not unjust, there can be no complaint. This is because a certain amount of inconvenience must be tolerated by people.

• If the unjust law has an effect on a large section of people and holds deep convictions only then it should be made a target of civil disobedience but small inconsistencies in the laws should be ignored. Some degree of levy needs to be given by the people.A minor deviation from the norm does not qualify as an unjust law.Creating a rebellion movement for every unjust law is not logical.

• Only if evils of the social order are great and if disobedience can bring about greater good despite the inconvenience caused, then indirect civil disobedience is justified on utilitarian grounds.