Duty plays a significant role in a democracy. Duties are just certain laws or regulations a citizen must follow, although these duties may or may not be enforceable by law. Duties are nothing but correlative of rights. So, if a citizen wants to enjoy the rights granted and sanctioned by the state, he is obliged to pay back by performing certain duties. Thus, the enjoyment of the rights warrants fulfilling some duties and obligations. There are many theories about duties with distinct spaces and rights within liberal thought.
Also Read: Democracy – Different Forms of Democracy
Rights – Different Theories of Rights
Equality – Dimension, and Relation with Liberty and Justice
Choice Theory
The choice theory is mainly propounded by scholars like H. L. Hart and it stipulates the relations between rights and duties. The essence of this theory is that it considers right a sort of choice and a person obliged to perform duty is able to control the duty. This theory presumes a duty-right relation; first, the person who holds the right may waive, or he may extinguish duty, or leave it in existence.
Secondly, in case of breach of duty, the person who holds the right may leave duty enforced or may vouch for it by asking for compensation. Thirdly, the person who holds the rights may extinguish or waive the obligation to pay compensation, which results from the breach of duty.
Interest Theory
The interest theory emphasizes that rights and duties are products of law. The enjoyment of rights entails some duties, as the citizen is obliged to pay back by fulfilling some obligations. It is the nature of human beings that are social animals by nature. As per Lipson, “the nature of group organization embodies the principle of reciprocity. He who gives, takes, and he who takes, gives”.
Autonomy
This theory emphasized the logical conclusion of right and duty and this theory is propounded by Immanuel Kant. He believes that duties are essential for cultivating and maintaining this autonomy while acting towards others as possessing this capacity. Kant said, “Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or the person of any other, never simply as means, but always at the same time as an end”.
Major Duties
There are several duties that a citizen needs to follow for the state. Some duties are so important for the survival and well-being of both citizens and the state that they are termed major duties. For example, allegiance to the state is a major duty as citizens must stand by the state when it faces any crisis or crisis-like situation. To obey the laws of the state which are framed as per democratic setup. Laski asserts: “Law will, in general, only appeal as legal to the citizen according as it seems to him genuinely, and not merely on a prior ground, the reflection of a moral order”.
Other major duties include duties like to exercise the right to vote and holding public office for an ideal democratic state. The duty of paying taxes is also a major duty as the state needs revenue to run a welfare state, the state is bound to undertake many activities ranging from education, health care, and a just and equal system to the bare necessities.
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