Under Construction Journal Issue 6.1 UNDER CONSTRUCTION JOURNAL 6.1 | Page 79

While Wolff elucidates that political obligation impedes our moral autonomy, we cannot deny the benefits
of political obligation. This is due to the premise that we can become misanthropic, and we could impede
the liberties of others. As the state protects our liberties, it is contrary to rational decision-making to
challenge the state. Nevertheless, when the state is not progressing towards the desired telos, the ruler
must be ousted. The ruler is merely a means to achieve the telos, and, if the ruler becomes a tyrant, they
will not facilitate the state’s progression towards the telos. Therefore, the issue of whether we obey the
state is contingent on whether the state actively maintains the welfare of its citizens.
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