The Importance Of The Law In Plato's Crito

In any community, citizens are expected to obey the laws, but what about laws that seem to benefit only one group of people? Citizens assume they must follow all the rules others have set for them, believing that it is their responsibility to obey the law or be faced with consequences. People are told that laws are made to protect them, but very often those laws have been known to benefit some and harm others. Unfair legal and societal practices make people question the obligations they have to their government, making it difficult to understand why citizens should follow certain rules if they are not made in the best interest of everyone. These issues come up especially when the obligations citizens have. The obligations of a citizen can

Throughout his writing, Plato uses the story of Socrates to explain what a good citizen should do, rather than what is expected, in certain situations. Like King, Plato talks about the “majority,” which is a hierarchy in every society, favoring one group over another. To challenge that idea, he uses the character of Crito to suggest there are consequences when one goes against the “majority,” like death. The idea of a majority controlling a society seems to be a continuing pattern since the dawn of time. He believes in the “haphazardness of the majority,” suggesting they are not making laws in the best interest of all citizens, just themselves. As an active citizen, people should never take the easy route when fighting for their rights. It is their duty to correct the mistakes made in the past in order to bring unity and equality to their community. Plato suggest it is cowardly to allow for injustice to occur, which happens when people reject the power they posses as citizens of any society. More often than not, the majority consists of foolish leaders commanding the wise public of the community. The fear inflicted into the public by them dims the flame in each person to want to fight for their civil rights. Socrates believes it is foolish to care for the opinion of those who don 't understand the difference between justice and injustice. Although he believes in defying authority, he does not believe in taking revenge for being wronged. Revenge is just as bad as the harm done, meaning whoever takes revenge is no better than the majority. As an authority figure law makers should not implement fear into its citizens, but persuade them to do the right thing. Plato’s writing suggests fighting for the natural rights if citizens, and being the bigger person in situations of