I thought we have laws to protect society not to give people rights ? What is more important ?

Question

If everyone does what they please what kind of society is there?

All I hear about is rights, what about obligations to society to not subvert it ?

Answer 1

In your world, laws would exist to protect the state, or to be more exact, those who control the state ( Golden rule - Those with the gold rule). Thankfully we have the ability to create laws to protect us from them.

Answer 2

The Constitution of the United States guaranteed certain rights to the citizens of the United States. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights", extended that even further.

Unfortunately, these "rights" - in a number of cases - were ignored or violated. It required the passage of additional laws to clarify or to ensure these rights were protected. Examples of this include the abolishment of slavery and giving the right to vote to women.

On the other hand, we have criminal laws that protect the person and society. These are enforced by our police authorities.

Answer 3

Wrong. We have laws to protect the rights of people in society.

Answer 4

Isn't freedom supposed to count for something? Isn't the individual supposed to be left alone to follow his or her own wishes? The Declaration of Independence says that the rights to Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness are God Given natural rights, which means they should not be taken away. I am fine with people doing everything they want so long as they do not do actual harm to other people--physical harm or theft. Otherwise, Big Government should pay attention to maintaining roads and sewers and other public assets.

Answer 5

Laws are meant to protect peoples rights, Example, Murder infringes on a persons right to life, and Burglary, infringes on the right to privacy, and the loss of someones personal property. And (and this is a touchy one for some) letting religion into government IE schools, infringes on a persons right to worship as they see fit.