Answer :
Final answer:
Disobeying laws can be a civic responsibility when those laws are unjust or corrupt. Civil disobedience is a deliberate, open, non-violent action that breaks the law based on a moral conscience and a recognition of a higher law.
Explanation:
Disobeying laws can be a civic responsibility when those laws are unjust or corrupt. Civil disobedience is a deliberate, open, non-violent action that breaks the law based on a moral conscience and a recognition of a higher law. Examples of civil disobedience include the actions of civil rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Medgar Evers, and Rosa Parks, who opposed unjust laws while recognizing the legitimacy of the government.
Final answer:
Disobeying laws can be a civic responsibility when the laws are unjust. Historical figures like Gandhi and MLK Jr. have used civil disobedience to oppose such laws based on a moral conscience, emphasizing its role as a duty to society.
Explanation:
Disobeying laws can be considered a civic responsibility when those laws are unjust. From historical contexts such as the actions of Mahatma Gandhi and American civil rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we see that civil disobedience arises as a moral duty when the law contradicts a higher sense of justice and ethics. Gandhi famously stated that civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state is corrupt or lawless, indicating that the moral obligation to oppose injustice can outweigh the legal duty to obey the government.
This concept extends beyond individual disobedience to encompass collective action. Henry David Thoreau's essay titled 'Civil Disobedience' emphasizes the role of the individual in bringing about change through nonviolent, public, and conscientious acts that are contrary to law with the aim of altering legislation or policy. This form of action is recognized as part of one's civic duties when aimed at rectifying legal wrongs and is distinct from mere rebellion or self-interest.
