Authority Quote by Nelson Mandela
“How can I be expected to believe that this same racial discrimination which has been the cause of so much injustice and suffering right through the years, should now operate here to give me a fair and open trial?…consider myself neither morally nor legally obliged to obey laws made by a Parliament in which I am not represented. That the will of the people is the basis of the authority of government, is a principle universally acknowledged as sacred throughout the civilized world.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Trial of the Rivonia Accused, South Africa, 1964
He questions that laws imposed by an unrepresentative parliament lack moral authority and cannot guarantee fair justice.
In simple terms: Unjust laws lack legitimacy.
Key Takeaway
Demand representation and fairness.
Themes
justice
representation
legitimacy
rights
Mood
defiant
determined
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- activism
- legal reform
- public protest
- community organizing
Key Concepts
social contract
colonialism
civil rights
Questions to Reflect On
- What mechanisms ensure laws reflect the people’s will?
- How can marginalized groups gain legal protection?
A Different Perspective
Legitimacy also depends on effective enforcement, not just representation.
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)