Civil disobedience is a powerful tool in the hands of the oppressed and disenfranchised, and its effectiveness has been proved numerous times in the course of history. It is usually used as the last measure in situations when there are no other formal or informal ways to influence the existing status quo. There are several reasons why civil disobedience in a democracy is morally justified since people who engage in it disobey laws and rules which are inherently immoral themselves.
First, it is important to establish the notion that civil disobedience cannot be viewed as a crime, especially in a democratic society which values basic human rights. People who participate in civil disobedience embrace a conviction that it benefits society, and to stress it, they do it publicly to attract everyone’s attention to particular issues (“Civil disobedience,” 2013). Additionally, they do it in a non-violent fashion, which once again shows that civil disobedience does not imply an intent to harm any party but rather to urge the government to resolve the injustice. Moreover, according to John Mackie, there cannot be a right to perform actions which are morally wrong (“Civil disobedience,” 2013). Similarly, if a certain law forces citizens to act in a morally inappropriate manner, it is their moral obligation not to follow it. Essentially, civil disobedience arises in response to a situation which involves performing immoral and wrong actions on an obligatory basis. Thus, civil disobedience becomes a morally justified act since it seeks to openly and non-violently address wrong and problematic phenomena in society.
Civil disobedience is an effective tool which can help resolve unjust situations and display public rejection to participate in immoral activities. People who engage in it do not wish to inflict any damage but to raise awareness and make their views known to the authorities. Civil disobedience, therefore, constitutes a morally justified act of not obeying the rules, which force citizens to act immorally.
Reference
Civil disobedience. (2013). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.