GS4 · 10 marks · 150 words

"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom." - John Locke

Answered by 8 toppers · CSE 2023–2024

Law and MoralityWorld ThinkersDimensions of Ethics

Syllabus: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics - in private and public relationships. Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.

How toppers approached it

From all 8 answers · about 190 words · 13% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening50%
  • A restatement25%
  • A direct answer13%
  • A quotation13%

Body

  • Points and prose63%
  • Continuous prose25%
  • Points13%

Close

  • A summary63%
  • A way forward25%
  • No separate close13%

The toppers’ answers

Aditya SrivastavaAIR 1 · CSE 2023 · 190 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

Laws are the collective conscience of the society which try to provide direction to the society.

Body · points

They are not there to abolish or restrain freedom

  1. Uphold liberty by preventing arbitrary executive action. → Eg Article 13 - Judicial review.

  2. Have due process and follow checks and balances → Eg Basic structure - Kesavananda Bharati case.

They help to preserve and enlarge freedom

  1. Provide due process to uphold rights. Eg RTI Act upholding freedom to know and question

  2. Provide protection in case you want freedom for upholding greater good. → Eg Whistleblower Protection Act.

  3. Enlarge freedom to work without fear or favour -> gender equity. → Eg Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act

However, they also try to impose reasonable restrictions as subsuming individuality is needed for larger welfare.

→ restrict movement freedom. → Eg restriction on Article 19(1)(d) for tribal welfare

→ restrict free speech for social harmony. Eg Section 295A of IPC [blasphemy]

→ restrict freedom to assemble for law & order maintenance. → Eg Section 144 of CrPC

Close · a summary

Therefore laws are meant to uphold larger public interest and wider liberty of all.

More on Law and Morality

Where the legal and the ethical part company: an act that is lawful but wrong, or right but unlawful, and constitutional morality.

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