How does Martin L. King defend the right, under certain circumstances, to break a law?
In principle he agrees with Augustine that “an unjust law is no law at all.” King says that an unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law [the moral law would demand that we respect human rights]. King insists that any law that “degrades human personality” is unjust. [Racial] “segregation statutes are unjust because segregation distorts the soul and damages the personality.” King explains this concept of “damaging the personality” as follows: This damage depends on the false attitude created by segregation that the white person is superior just because he is white, that the black person is inferior just because he is black. Upon what moral tradition does King draw? The natural law tradition, in particular the conclusion that laws are unjust when they distribute benefits and burdens unjustly. But King is also appealing to the point of this tradition that natural moral law command us to develop our higher capacities, including our reason. Segregation statutes teach pe
