INTRODUCTION

Political obligation refers to a moral requirement to obey national laws. Its origins are unclear; however, it traces to the ancient Greeks. The idea of political obligation is philosophical, focusing on the morality of law rather than justice.

According to the internal encyclopedia of philosophy, “political obligation thus refers to the moral duty of citizens to obey the laws of their state.". In cases where an act or forbearance that is required by law is morally obligatory on independent grounds, political obligation simply gives the citizens an additional reason for acting accordingly.

POLITICAL OBLIGATION

A political obligation is demanded between a state and its citizens, which is best expressed in fairness, gratitude, and consent.

The earliest understanding of political obligation can be traced back to the teaching of Socrates. One account recalls his imprisonment and death sentence for “corrupting the morals of the youth” (Omoregbe 1993: 208). Instead of escaping, he chose to stay and accept his punishment.

Obligation is comprised of financial and political; by financial, it means the citizens are required to pay their tax, while the later implied that the citizens should obey the laws of the state.

As it was argued out by Locke, consent is one of the theories of political obligation. By consent, one has accepted to obey the laws and support the state. This consent comes explicit as long as one lives within a state.

By gratitude, which is also a theory of political obligation, it urges the citizens to be obedient to the state having provided the necessary basic needs, like a good road, good water, health care, and what have you. These political obligation theories include fair play, natural duty and right for association.

LOCKE’S POLITICAL OBLIGATION

Locke, who begins his second treatise of government on natural law, affirms that man is free as long as he remains in the state of nature until he freely gave his consent to submit to the state or society. It is his consent that now obliges him the political obligation to respect the law explicitly.

Locke finally notes, “Thus, what begins a political society and keeps it in existence is nothing but the consent of any member of free (persons) capable of a majority to unite and incorporate into such a society. This is the only thing that did or could give a beginning to any lawful government in the world. (Samantha Fritz, Acta cogitate journal of philosophy, article 6, val. 7)

In conclusion, a political obligation is one submitting his will to his society or civil authority and ready to obey all the laws made by the government. Although an individual has the right not to obey a law as long as he did not consent to such a law, that should only happen in a society where the consent of an individual is required and he did not consent to it. These theories are necessitating in political obligation, which are consent, gratitude, fair play, natural duty, and association, and they help an individual’s to fulfill his obligation toward the state or to a particular society.

Finally, we are all obliged to honor the law of our nation as long as we have explicitly submitted our consent through the hands of our representatives.

POLITICAL EQUALITY

INTRODUCTION

The principle that every member of a political community must be treated equally and in a certain respect is central to liberal democracy. The eighteenth century saw the proclamations of equal rights and political equality, but these aims have still to be fully achieved, as feminists and minority champions in particular point out.

POLITICAL EQUALITY

The system of political setting in a state is basically to help build a nation that includes all citizens in respect of gender, religion, and cultural background. It negates the principle that only the rich or determined can rule. The equality of a political state is more affirmative in the court of law, who shall serve justice accordingly and be fair in passing out sentences, but to some point, this has been missing in democratic states like Nigeria.

Political equality works to the advantage of the less privileged in society, and it is the system that Rawls says is best suited for the implementation of the difference principle. This system, Rawls tell us;

Removes the indeterminateness of the principle of efficiency by singling out a particular position from which the social and economic structure are to be judged... the higher expectations of those better situated are just if and only if they work as part of a scheme which improves the expectations of the least advantaged members of society. The intuitive idea is that the social order is not to establish and secure the mere attractive prospects of those better off unless doing so is to the advantage of those less fortunate. (Omoregbe, 1993:273)

Rawls ideological principle urges him from the point that there is already inequality in society and the poor are at the receiving end, so having a system and economic equality will help in building a better state for all citizens.

John Rawls introduces the system of liberal equality into the capitalist society or state in order to achieve what he refers to as equality of opportunity. He is of the opinion that every member of the state should have equal opportunity in the economy of the capitalist community market. This equal opportunity is not just on market policy but also on education. Political equality does not have a favorite in the polities of the state but rather gives rights to every citizen.

In conclusion, political inequality can only benefit the few, while political equality well goes a long way to benefit all members of the state.

The justice system must be ready to pass judgment not in favor of the few but that which should serve the needs of equality for the state and to every individual.