Just laws are hard to make just citizens

Definitely speaking, the just laws are not made in the purpose of creating good and just citizens. However, law does influence the environment of a state, and therefore shapes the characteristics of its citizens. No matter how many years have passed, Lycophron’s view of law as “a surety to one another of justice” is always true. On the other hand, though the law “has no real power to make the citizens good and right” (Aristotle, A Definition of Justice), immoral behaviors are prohibited or restricted as a result of just laws pushing toward common senses of goodness, and a stable and secure society could thereby be established.

Such relation applies to our own time and place as well. For example, the modern legislative and judicial system of the United States was created to be a protective mechanism for civil rights including life, property and freedom. In case someone breaks the law, he or she would be punished and afterwards remind others to abandon similar guilty in their minds. If the United States has no law, then criminals and gangsters would dominate this nation; in the consequence, good and just citizens no longer exist because of accompanying psychological pollution with crimes.

Despite the law stands on the side of moral righteousness, the reality illustrates overwhelming difficulties confronted by a nation. To use laws to help make its citizens good and just, is the same as to utilize collars to maintain brute animals tame. Human beings should have their free will to make decisions. Forcing people to act and believe in certain rules and values is like brainwash. For example, the first emperor of Ming Dynasty of China, Zhu Yuanzhang, was a beggar. After seizing the power, he made extremely just laws to punish corrupted officials in the hope that the people could be changed to be good and just. However, his cruel methods of punishment such as peeling the skin spread hallucination in the country. In the contrast of his expectation, a lot of officials still made illegal money because of low income.

Moreover, laws inevitably represent the ruling class’s will, as mentioned in Plato’s masterpiece Republic-- justice is “the interest of the stronger.” In other words, justice itself is usually defined by the strongest, either with monetary or political power. In this case, the just laws must have real power to judge the most powerful person. A good instance would be the Watergate scandal. Although President Nixon attempted to distort the truth, he was unable to justify himself in front of the court. More specifically, the law is difficult to help make its citizens good and just, but the just law can put the rulers in cage.

Overall, the relationship between the law and the citizen’s moral value is indirect. Just laws could make just citizens, but it is very difficult. Instead of pursuing unattainable absolute fair society, the laws could only create an environment of relative justice, where good citizens are able to live.

The meaning of Independence

Independence is an essential quality for determining the relationship among countries, states and colonies. For instance, The Declaration of Independence is a well-known document declaring the separation of 13 American colonies from the British control. In general, the word is frequently used while related to the idea of resisting subordination and gaining freedom as a nation.

Despite the fact that most people appreciate independence, the possible consequences of completely separation always lie in the most fabulous shadow. Basically, no one could predict the future. A recent example of this characteristic is the Scotland's vote for getting independence from the Great Britain. Though Prime Minister Cameron has promised to offer Scotland more rights, funds and political freedom, a large number of Scottish believe independence of Scotland would give them a better life. In other words, the action of seeking independence could be a sorrowful divorce, or an opportunity to change.

According to human history, the process of requiring independence accompanies with blood and tears. Revolutions and wars are twin brothers who re-draft the world map now and then. A country could not be considered to be independent without a sustainable government. A good example would be Iraq. The nation Iraq had been dependent on the U.S. for years because of regional disorders. After American troops left, Iraq could not be regarded as an independent country since religious conflicts are over the government's control. The establishment of ISIS, an extreme anti-humanitarian organization, has proved the inability of Iraq government. Therefore, Iraq does not own independence and still relies on the military support from the western world.

More specifically, the meaning of independence is always shown in its effects on us. No matter how the outcome would be, We The People keep exploring individual independence, sometimes as a larger group. After realizing personal will to change, we address ourselves towards a ideal status. Such is human nature that adults make a living by themselves, and such human nature forms our dignity and integrity.