The Nature, Ethics, and Politics of Uncivil Obedience
In: Journal of Pacifism and NonviolenceSearch for other papers by Jennifer Kling in
Current site
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Abstract
Uncivil obedience, also sometimes called malicious compliance, has the potential to be a galvanizing force for political change. Historically, it played a key role in many 20th century labor movements, and is still used today by both individuals and more organized activist groups. Despite this, uncivil obedience is less often a topic of philosophical discussion than its more well-known cousin, civil disobedience. In particular, uncivil obedience’s relationship to violence is almost entirely unexplored. In this paper, I outline the necessary conditions for some act to count as uncivil obedience, discuss its relationship to violence, and then present the conditions that must be met for uncivil obedience to be justified. Like other forms of protest and resistance, uncivil obedience has normative limits; there are things we ought not do with it, even in the name of fighting for a better world.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 2308 | 516 | 48 |
| Full Text Views | 75 | 37 | 2 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 154 | 94 | 4 |
The Nature, Ethics, and Politics of Uncivil Obedience
In: Journal of Pacifism and NonviolenceSearch for other papers by Jennifer Kling in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Uncivil obedience, also sometimes called malicious compliance, has the potential to be a galvanizing force for political change. Historically, it played a key role in many 20th century labor movements, and is still used today by both individuals and more organized activist groups. Despite this, uncivil obedience is less often a topic of philosophical discussion than its more well-known cousin, civil disobedience. In particular, uncivil obedience’s relationship to violence is almost entirely unexplored. In this paper, I outline the necessary conditions for some act to count as uncivil obedience, discuss its relationship to violence, and then present the conditions that must be met for uncivil obedience to be justified. Like other forms of protest and resistance, uncivil obedience has normative limits; there are things we ought not do with it, even in the name of fighting for a better world.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 2308 | 516 | 48 |
| Full Text Views | 75 | 37 | 2 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 154 | 94 | 4 |
