Original scientific paper

Civil Disobedience and Justifiability of Violence

Ana Smokrović ; University of Rijeka, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Rijeka, Croatia

Abstract

This paper explores the status of violence within civil disobedience. Namely, is it possible to argue for the civil disobedience as violent but justified act at the same time? If we move beyond the concept of violence as an exclusively physical act, the theory according to which civil disobedience is justified, but violence is not, would be hard to defend. I argue for the usage of force as a justified means in the cases when prima facie rights are overpowered by a greater, moral commitment. But with this stand one finds oneself in a potentially slippery terrain; namely, how to approach the civil disobedience participants who call upon the values such as freedom and equality but whose demands are based on the violation of rights of a particular group within the society?

Keywords

civil disobedience; violence; prima facie rights; moral commitment; discrimination

Hrčak ID:

158790

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/158790

Publication date:

2.12.2015.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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