Author Description

An external domain of standards and regulations is created by political obligation. It is governed by laws, customs and by-laws. It refers to a set of legal obligations and responsibilities that persons might be legally compelled to fulfil under the fear of penalty or punishment or other legal repercussions. The term "political obligation" refers to a set of legal responsibilities that citizens must fulfil. This should, however, not mean that political obligation is the same as legal obligation. Political obligation extends beyond the sphere of legal obligation. Political obligation necessitates for compliance to the laws of the state, but it too admits means to challenge the system in order to safeguard the obligation ends. It does include the duty of the citizens to obey the laws of the state, but it also incorporates in its sphere a wider obligation, i.e., duty to protect the country, or to fight against injustice. This latter connotation of obligation is much more than what one would like to include either in moral or legal obligation. The concept of legal obligation merely serves to safeguard the existing established legal structure, however, the concept of political obligation serves to protect the system as a whole against dictatorship, political disputes, totalitarianism, injustice, exploitation and alike. How to construct a legitimized political or social order is the problem of political duty?