--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It seems to me that an unjust law is no…" description: "\"It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all.\" — Saint Augustine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/saint-augustine-328_law_it-seems-to-me-that-an-unjust-law-is-no_1229017.png" --- # It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all. ![“It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all.” quote by Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/saint-augustine-328_law_it-seems-to-me-that-an-unjust-law-is-no_1229017.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/saint-augustine-328_law_it-seems-to-me-that-an-unjust-law-is-no_1229017.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/saint-augustine-328_law_it-seems-to-me-that-an-unjust-law-is-no_1229017.png) > “It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all.” [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An unjust law lacks moral authority and should be considered invalid. **In simple terms:** Unjust laws are not true laws. Key Takeaway Challenge laws that violate justice. Themes justice law morality authority Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - activism - legal reform - ethical decision making Key Concepts natural law political philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What criteria define a just law for you? - How do you act when law and conscience conflict? A Different Perspective Determining injustice can be subjective and politically charged. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Unjust law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unjust-law/) [Unjust laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unjust-laws/) ## Related quotes > [A unjust law, is no law at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/a-unjust-law-is-no-law-at-all/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [One who breaks an unjust law that conscience tells him is unjust ... is in reality expressing the highest respect for law ... We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/one-who-breaks-an-unjust-law-that-conscience-tells-him-is-unjust-is/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/to-put-it-in-the-terms-of-st-thomas-aquinas-an-unjust-law-is-a-human/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There are two types of laws: there are just laws and there are unjust laws... What is the difference between the two?...An unjust law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/there-are-two-types-of-laws-there-are-just-laws-and-there-are-unjust/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [If a juror feels that the statute involved in any criminal offence is unfair, or that it infringes upon the defendant's natural god-given unalienable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-f-stone/if-a-juror-feels-that-the-statute-involved-in-any-criminal-offence-is/) [Harlan F. Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-f-stone/) > [One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/one-who-breaks-an-unjust-law-must-do-so-openly-lovingly-and-with-a/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [An unjust law in itself is an act of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/an-unjust-law-in-itself-is-an-act-of-violence/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [When I refuse to obey an unjust law, I do not contest the right of the majority to command, but I simply appeal from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/when-i-refuse-to-obey-an-unjust-law-i-do-not-contest-the-right-of-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/one-has-not-only-a-legal-but-a-moral-responsibility-to-obey-just-laws/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Unjust laws aren't laws at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/unjust-laws-aren-t-laws-at-all/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law, or the law of God. An unjust law is a code…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/a-just-law-is-a-man-made-code-that-squares-with-the-moral-law-or-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [No intelligent man has any respect for an unjust law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/no-intelligent-man-has-any-respect-for-an-unjust-law/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [There comes a point at which a law can be so unjust it is necessary openly, lovingly and with a willingness to accept the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-p-george/there-comes-a-point-at-which-a-law-can-be-so-unjust-it-is-necessary/) [Robert P. George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-p-george/) > [An unjust law is itself a species of violence. Arrest for its breach is more so. Now the law of nonviolence says that violence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/an-unjust-law-is-itself-a-species-of-violence-arrest-for-its-breach-2/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [In the first place, an unjust law exists in this Commonwealth, by which marriages between persons of different color is pronounced illegal. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-m-child/in-the-first-place-an-unjust-law-exists-in-this-commonwealth-by-which/) [Lydia M. Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-m-child/) ## More by Saint Augustine > [Lust indulged became habit, and habit unresisted became necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/lust-indulged-became-habit-and-habit-unresisted-became-necessity/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [The playthings of our elders are called business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/the-playthings-of-our-elders-are-called-business/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Do what you can and pray for what you cannot yet do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/do-what-you-can-and-pray-for-what-you-cannot-yet-do/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [For I did not know that the soul needs to be enlightened by light from outside itself, so that it can participate in truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-i-did-not-know-that-the-soul-needs-to-be-enlightened-by-light/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [My mother spoke of Christ to my father, by her feminine and childlike virtues, and, after having borne his violence without a murmur or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/my-mother-spoke-of-christ-to-my-father-by-her-feminine-and-childlike/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Wicked sons do not have the Holy Ghost in the same way as do beloved sons, and yet they do have Baptism. So, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/wicked-sons-do-not-have-the-holy-ghost-in-the-same-way-as-do-beloved/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [To wisdom belongs the intellectual apprehension of things eternal; to knowledge, the rational apprehension of things temporal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/to-wisdom-belongs-the-intellectual-apprehension-of-things-eternal-to/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [It is this one Spirit who makes it possible for an infant to be regenerated . . . when that infant is brought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/it-is-this-one-spirit-who-makes-it-possible-for-an-infant-to-be/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [God has no need of your money, but the poor have. You give it to the poor, and God receives it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/god-has-no-need-of-your-money-but-the-poor-have-you-give-it-to-the/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Nothing conquers except truth and the victory of truth is love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/nothing-conquers-except-truth-and-the-victory-of-truth-is-love/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“O God, who is ever at work and ever at rest. May I be ever at work and ever at rest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/o-god-who-is-ever-at-work-and-ever-at-rest-may-i-be-ever-at-work-and/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Our Lord reserved to Himself certain things which He would do in due time in a manner outside the course and order of nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/our-lord-reserved-to-himself-certain-things-which-he-would-do-in-due/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/give-me-chastity-and-continence-but-not-yet/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Nothing, therefore, happens unless the Omnipotent wills it to happen. He either permits it to happen, or He brings it about Himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/nothing-therefore-happens-unless-the-omnipotent-wills-it-to-happen-he/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [The reward of patience Is patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/the-reward-of-patience-is-patience/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) [Explore all 672 Saint Augustine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) ## More Law quotes > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [ \[Islam\] Leaves no room of human legislation in an Islamic state, because herein all legislative functions vest in God and the only function left… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abul-a-la-maududi/islam-leaves-no-room-of-human-legislation-in-an-islamic-state-because/) [Abul A'la Maududi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abul-a-la-maududi/) > [The law is like apparel, which alters with the time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dodderidge/the-law-is-like-apparel-which-alters-with-the-time/) John Dodderidge > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Dictatorship is rule based directly upon force and unrestricted by any laws. The revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is rule won and maintained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/dictatorship-is-rule-based-directly-upon-force-and-unrestricted-by/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Laws undertake to punish only overt acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laws-undertake-to-punish-only-overt-acts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man has a right to use a saw, an axe, a plane, separately; may he not combine their uses on the same piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-man-has-a-right-to-use-a-saw-an-axe-a-plane-separately-may-he-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [In relations between the rich and the strong, between the rich and the poor, between the master and the servant, it's liberty that grinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-relations-between-the-rich-and-the-strong-between-the-rich-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 16,973 Law quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Saint Augustine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/it-seems-to-me-that-an-unjust-law-is-no-law-at-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Law" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/it-seems-to-me-that-an-unjust-law-is-no-law-at-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/saint-augustine-328_law_it-seems-to-me-that-an-unjust-law-is-no_1229017.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/saint-augustine-328_law_it-seems-to-me-that-an-unjust-law-is-no_1229017.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/saint-augustine-328_law_it-seems-to-me-that-an-unjust-law-is-no_1229017.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It seems to me that an unjust law is no law at all.” — Saint Augustine", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Saint Augustine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It seems to me that an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/it-seems-to-me-that-an-unjust-law-is-no-law-at-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/it-seems-to-me-that-an-unjust-law-is-no-law-at-all/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```