“ An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. ”
Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail (16 April 1963). copy citation
| Author | Martin Luther King, Jr. |
|---|---|
| Source | Letter from a Birmingham Jail |
| Topic | power law |
| Date | 16 April 1963 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html |
Context
“Thus it is that I can urge men to obey the 1954 decision of the Supreme Court, for it is morally right; and I can urge them to disobey segregation ordinances, for they are morally wrong.
Let us consider a more concrete example of just and unjust laws. An unjust law is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself. This is difference made legal. By the same token, a just law is a code that a majority compels a minority to follow and that it is willing to follow itself. This is sameness made legal. Let me give another explanation.”
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