The Need for Law and Justice Flashcards
What happened in 2011?
Riots started after Mark Duggan was shot by a police officer. This was because people had lost their faith in the police
What did Thomas Hobbes speak of?
A ‘state of nature’
What is a ‘state of nature’?
A state humans would revert to without laws
“No arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
We need to give up some of our freedom to have a stable, fair society
What is the most frequent symbol of justice? Explain it
Lady Justice
She is shown holding scales to show that justice weighs up each side and a sword to represent that justice has the power to strike and deal punishment. She is blindfolded to symbolise that justice is not biased.
Why does there need to be a connection between law and justice?
St Thomas Aquinas said than an unjust law is not a proper law:
If a law is unjust people will feel that it is their right to break the law
If some laws are unjust, people may start to think that all laws are unjust
If a law does not give justice to people, people will take the law into their own hands
What is an example of an unjust law?
In 1956 Rosa Parks was arrested in the USA for refusing to give up her seat on a bus for white man. This was a crime.
What did St Paul says about unjust laws?
“Everyone must submit themselves to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” (Romans 13:1)
This means that Christians must follow the law, even if it is unjust
