Civil Disobedience

Under what conditions is it morally justified to break the law?

In what sort of cases would you endorse civil disobedience? In your answer, think about 1) how you would define the idea of an unjust or immoral law. Would you agree with St. Augustine that 'an unjust law is no law at all'? and 2) what cases (if any) would count in your view as legitimate uses of civil disobedience?

There are many governments that are overpowered and unjust to the subjects contained within them. In attempting to define what an unjust government is, I find myself taking a closer look at Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter. I also would like to keep in mind Marxism because power often corrupts. So in my own terms, an unjust government is one that rules accordingly to ruler in order to achieve more power or wealth. In a government like that, laws are made to keep the order. For example, a law may state that if anyone has a different opinion than the King will be hanged; everyone must abide by his rules whether they are right or wrong. In the society’s interest, civil disobedience would be the appropriate action to take against a society like this.

Unfortunately, I have not found a better example other than the story of Camelot and Merlin. In the story, Camelot is ruled by Uther Pendragon, who evokes many unjust rules that the society deals with in return for protection. This type of government uses power in order to rule. This would be the best scenario for civil disobedience because this is a government ran by the thoughts of an individual with power. Governments like these, according to St. Augustine, are not governments. I would agree on behalf of St. Augustine because this type of government doesn’t allow ideas to improve society by the members who live the life of poverty on a daily basis. Instead it is a government to fulfill the needs of the powerful and the rich.

Government is made up of the people that abide by the rules and conditions that are enforced. A society that must abide by unjust rules and immoral conditions is not a form of government and should reconcile the problems that would contribute to a need for civil disobedience. If we lived in a society where our opinions aren’t taken for granted, our society would never improve and history would be irrelevant.