The Recent Civil Disobedience Fidelity to Law

Abstract Generations of citizens have successfully used civil disobedience to enact positive lasting change in their societies. In some places, such as the UK and elsewhere, it is considered a ‘tradition’. But recent instances of civil disobedience—especially in relation to UK climate campaigners—have brought forward numerous challenges, some of which lie awkwardly with liberal values. In particular, a lack of fidelity to the existing political system, attempts at evading punishment and robust challenges to court authority can make contemporary disobedience look more like Rawls's ‘militant action’ as opposed to genuine attempts to bring about law reform. Along with documenting where recent instances of disobedience have been successful, this article raises concerns that some instances of disobedience display a lack of fidelity to law and the wider legal order.