6. Why do we obey?

Obedience is probably one of the first virtues performed and practiced by every man. Notice that ever since the delicate toddler stages, the most basic forms of communication are taught by the child’s parents and guardians in the most simple command-and-obey method. How often do we hear parents instructing, “Say papa! Say mama! Ma---ma…!” or relatives and friends saying, “Make pretty eyes! Close… open!”.

Of course this obedience grows and carries on into every individual and society life. Its demands increase as a person gets more involved into the society he resides in. Society as a whole is a very complex system heavily reliant to the obedience of the people it is composed of for it to perform smoothly and progressively.

Government, the very embodiment of social power, requires that obedience. Is that not one of the main reasons why judiciary bodies exist? To make sure that the created and approved rules are well implemented and performed by the people.

In a nutshell, the government or politics decides who gets what, when and how in society. It plays a crucial role in the lives of the people they are governing. They have the utmost important task not just to provide the people security and improve their standards of living, but also to lead them to do what is right and good. (In philosophical terms, the government ought to lead and help their people to become better human beings).

Once a government had turned for the worse. Are we still obliged to follow suite? For instance, if the government had legalized open racism, oppression and destruction of a particular race (such as the African slaves and their oppressions in America, and the Jews during World War 2) does that make that law legitimate? No. What is legal does not automatically mean that it is legitimate or lawful; and vice versa.

The people have the right to disobey their government when such negativity occurs. Why should the people not revolt and demand from the government to provide what it ought to be providing? Truly, the people should not be afraid of their government but rather, the government should be afraid of their people (V for Vendetta).