Chapter 1 And Only
Author's Note: Ok, before you read this, I have to explain what it is. In my World History class at school, we are studying the Greek philosophers and their ideas. Plato was Socrates' most notable students, and he debated the truths of the world in dialogue form - presenting two sides and arguing them on paper to find the ultimate truth. A few weeks ago, my teacher asked us to write a dialogue like this for class and she gave us a whole list of topics to choose from. The topic I picked was "Are laws necessary in order to maintain social order, or will people 'behave' without them". As I was writing this, the characters of Jane and Elizabeth Bennet just jumped out at me. It doesn't have any of the plot of P&P in it - so if the general consensus is not to archive I will not be offended. Enjoy :)P.S. I got a 100 on this paper! ;)
Elizabeth: Social order requires reasonable conformity to the law, whether or not the laws are absolutely true or right.
Jane: Oh, Lizzy, I believe that even if we did not have laws, people are naturally good enough to act in a way that is best for the world as a whole.
Elizabeth: Even if different people have different ideas on what is best for the world?
Jane: Well, people's ideas may not be exactly the same, but they cannot be bad.
Elizabeth: But what if they are? Are you willing to take that chance? Suppose my children are starving...
Jane: Oh! Poor children!!
Elizabeth: ...and right next door to me is a house with enough food to feed all of London for a week. Is it for the good of the world if I steal some of that food, if there are no laws to stop me?
Jane: But Lizzy, surely you would not steal the food, but you would knock on the door and ask for it.
Elizabeth: Yes of course, I would, but Jane, not everyone is the same. Many people would take the food, and more and not think anything of it.
Jane: Then the master of the house could certainly spare it and would not miss it. Indeed, he would be only too happy to have helped you.
Elizabeth: What about murder, then?
Jane: Why on earth would anyone want to murder someone?
Elizabeth: Suppose you had quite a bit of money and a highwayman wanted it, and the only way he could get it would be to murder you?
Jane: I would give him the money, if he really needed it, but I cannot imagine anyone wanting to kill anyone in cold blood for any reason! If there were no laws to stop us - surely there would be a few bad people, although I cannot imagine who, but there would be enough truly good people to outnumber them, and in the end, all would be well.
Elizabeth: And what would these "good people" do to stop the bad ones?
Jane: Put them in prison, I suppose.
Elizabeth: Ah! But without laws, to delineate what is good and what is bad, what right do the "good" people have to put anyone in prison? The "bad" people have only done what they believe is good for the world.
Jane: If they have only done what is good, there is no need to put them in prison.
Elizabeth: But who decides whether what they have done is good, or bad?
Jane: Why, everyone knows what is good and it is human nature to be good, laws or no laws.
Elizabeth: Oh, Jane! I wish I could think so well of people as you do!