Natural Law as the Basis for One’s Obedience to Laws

Abstract

There has always arisen the question whether man should obey or disobey all the law made by the state, or whether it is only necessary to obey only those laws that made for the good of society and are just. This question has a far reaching effect on the organization of any society. It also goes to the basis of governments because if everyone disobeys the law, then disorder, anarchy, lawlessness and chaos will ensue. The only plausible answer to this question normally gravitates towards the form, extent and quality of power vested in the legislature to make laws that respond and answer to the problems of the human society. This objective of this paper lies in its
profound attempt to lay bare the philosophical basis of man’s obedience to positive law, and to attempt to decipher the impact of obeying the good laws of the state is embedded in natural law and to examine whether the said obligation to obey laws also include the obligation to obey bad and unjust laws.