What was Socrates's view on the relationship between Justice and the Law?

Try one of these, some are easier to understand then others.

http://classicalwisdom.com/socrates-justice-law-an...

http://m.sparknotes.com/philosophy/crito/section6....

Extract

http://beatsviews.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/crito-s...

Socrates puts forward the proposition that they analyse the arguments he has lived by and see whether they still stand up in the face of death. Socrates argument to be analysed regards justice and how doing the just (or right) thing in a situation is what must always occur. Socrates begins with stating that regardless of the popular opinion and the consequences; ‘the fact remains that to commit injustice is in every case bad and dishonourable for the person who does it’ and that under no circumstances must one do wrong. Crito agrees, thus Socrates leads to the conclusion that one must not return injustice when wronged. Socrates also gets Crito to agree that an injustice is no different from inflicting an injury (as Crito agrees that to inflict an injury is always wrong – even in retaliation).

This is the case with Socrates; he considers leaving the prison without appropriate permission to be an injustice, equivalent to an injury – as to inflict injury under retaliation is the wrong thing to do. In essence, so far, Crito has agreed with Socrates, that it would be wrong to escape prison – by removing emotions and personal feelings from the situation and just looking at the rights and wrongs of actions. At the point in which this dawns on Crito (that Socrates’ argument is logical) he says he is ‘not clear in the mind’.

Socrates also claims that one ought to fulfil just agreements, a statement with which Crito agrees. He compares the Laws of society to parents; they are there to protect throughout the course of life and that thus, we are obliged to respect them. Socrates states that society cannot function if Laws hold no powers – that, individuals can disregard judgements made in a court of law by escaping their sentence. Socrates states that the act of trying to escape his judgement is akin to wishing the

city to fall, as it shows disregard for what holds it together.

Socrates argument does indeed, logically, stand up – even in the face of death. He would not escape his judgement as he views it as akin to injuring the Law – as it is an injustice. Furthermore Socrates has argued that to break an agreement is never the right thing to do. In remaining in Athens, Socrates has not only an obligation to respect the Laws which raised him – but has also validated his agreement to abide by the Laws and any judicial decision. Additionally he has argued that duty towards some (especially to God) is higher than duty towards others, so he does not contradict his own argument. Socrates has shown that his previous argument still stands up under scrutiny – even under the threat of death and thus one could argue that Socrates was right in his decision not to escape."

http://freenation.org/a/f21l3.html

http://lawyr.it/index.php/articles/reflections/ite...

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