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Why Should We Obey the Law?

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( 16 ratings, 3 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
George Klosko explores the fundamental question of why we should obey the law, examining common assumptions and moral obligations. He critiques prominent theories of political obligation and argues convincingly for a theory grounded in the principle of fair play, offering a comprehensive and original contribution to political theory.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is an essential read for students and scholars of political theory and philosophy, as well as anyone interested in the moral foundations of law and civic duty.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Whether we should obey the law is a question that affects everyone’s day-to-day life, from traffic laws to taxes. Most people obey out of habit, but the question remains: why are we morally required to do so? If we fail to obey, the state may enforce compliance, but is it right for it to do this, and if so, why?

In this book, George Klosko, a renowned authority on political obligation, skillfully probes these questions. He considers various prominent theories of obligation and shows why they are unconvincing, contending that only an approach that interweaves multiple principles, rooted in fair play, is fully persuasive.

Klosko develops the fullest statement of his own well-known theory of political obligation while providing a clear overview of the subject. The result is both an essential introductory text for students of political theory and philosophy and a cutting-edge, original contribution to the debate.

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  • Why Should We Obey the Law?
    Whether we should obey the law is a question that affects everyone’s day-to-day life, from traffic laws to taxes. Most people obey out of habit, but the question remains: why are we morally required to do so? If we fail to obey, the state may enforce compliance, but is it right for it to do this, and if so, why?...
    Paperback
    $2399
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

William A. Edmundson praises the book for swiftly addressing this enduring question and supporting the commonsense view that we do have a duty to obey the law. Richard Dagger highlights the book as a succinct and insightful survey that refines Klosko's multiple-principle fairness-based argument.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781509521210

Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 October 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Polity Press

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 125.0mm

Height: 191.0mm

Weight: 181g

Pages: 140

About the Author

George Klosko is the Henry L. and Grace Doherty Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia.

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