The Problem of Civil Disobedience

The Main Idea of Civil Disobedience

 Non-violent refusal to comply with the law,

One: The classic modern examples of civil disobedience are

 The actions taken in connection with the Indian independence movement

led by Mohandas K. Gandhi
 American civil rights movement led by Martin Luther Kind, Jr.

Two: Social Contract Theory

 We are obligated to obey the law because we each participate in a social system
that promises more benefits than burdens.

 The benefits are the benefits of social living:

1. We escape the state of nature and live in a society in which we are
secure and enjoy basic rights.
 The burdens we accept in return:
1. Obey the law
2. Pay our taxes and so forth…
Conclusion: Civil disobedience
 is not an undesirable “last resort” for socially disenfranchised groups rather, it is
the most natural and reasonable means of expressing protest.