UNIT 3 Law and Active Citizenship

Introduction In Anger: Socrates Contents: 1. The Organisation of Freedom: Conflict and Cooperation 2. Authority, Legality and Legitimacy 3. The Promotion of Justice: Rights and Responsibilities 4. Learning Citizenship through Coexistence at School This Issue in the Press: A Statesman Lets Go to the Cinema: "Elephant" Looking Through Images: A Reflection on Citizenship. Rodin and Velzquez The World of Literature: Cervantes (On Weapons and Words) Final and Summary Activities Find Out and Take Part

Lets Work
The law and rights as the organisation of freedom The meaning of power and authority The need to bind rights and responsibility The relationship between citizenry and daily life (for example, life at

school)
Citizenship as participation and commitment

Education for Citizenship and Human Rights. Unit 3

Introduction
To talk about citizenship automatically suggests talking about coexistence. We have already seen the complexity of human life in the previous units; to set out the citizenship issue cannot be undertaken of the entire person. And a person is basically communication, society, and being present with and for others. The human being is, as the ancient Greeks once said, a social animal. Referring to society is not making an allusion to something unknown. In the previous unit we already learnt that the fundamental constitution of society is family, friends, neighbours, etc. Therefore, society is the group of relationships within which we move, which allow us to develop and live, even though they may, at times, cause us difficulties. We can live in society thanks to the effort of all of its members. Each of us has a function in society, and we are able to live, and even enjoy, thanks to society and its social, political and cultural institutions. Society works thanks to rules or laws; they are not merely tools of oppression, punishment or sanction. Thanks to rules we can do many things, thanks to rules we can be free as rules give us possibilities. Rules (or laws) can be compared with paths in the jungle; it could be said that it is annoying that one should go along these previously drawn paths, that they are inhibiting us, but if it werent for those paths we would not be able to reach the other side or move inside the jungle. To live our lives immediately suggests that we use the paths and rules that are given to us and that we give ourselves. Imagine what might happen if every day when we woke up we had to invent the rules that might be useful for that day (from the most elementary to the most complex)! Surely we would waste a lot of time (and we wouldn't get anything done), and even moreso if we imagined that the next day we would have to invent them all over again. Therefore, it is useful, good and very healthy to use the rules or paths that are at our disposal. And this does not stop us from questioning some rules, as nothing guarantees that a path is always valid or that there are no alternative paths. On the other hand, human coexistence is not always harmonious or friendly. There are times when conflict arises. It also happens that there are persons who, by using the freedom and the possibilities that coexistence offers, act for their own benefit or interest. They are people who want to impose their point of view and their lifestyle. Imagine, for example, a thief who steals money from a person, or a terrorist group that wants to impose its criteria on the majority by using weapons and violence. This is precisely why the existence of rules and laws is necessary, as they do not only attack this selfish, unsupportive or violent behaviour, but also, and more importantly, they guarantee everybody's freedom. This is precisely the function of law: to guarantee everyone's freedom. The lives of citizens cannot do without rules. We can call this the normative dimension of civic responsibility.

Education for Citizenship and Human Rights. Unit 3

In Anger: Socrates
Socrates (470-399 B.C.) is one of the great Greek philosophers. He can be considered the father of philosophy. He did not only teach ideas and theories but also something that is much more important: an attitude and a lifestyle. The most noteworthy element of his philosophical approach is that he said that he did not teach anything, rather the only thing he did was help his audience draw out their own ideas from inside themselves, that is to say, he helped them to think for themselves. That is why he said that his job was the same as his mother's, who was a midwife, as it had to do with giving birth, helping one to be born. This process of "giving birth" to one's own ideas is called "maieutics".
J-L. DAVID, The Death of Socrates, 1787. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The Death of Socrates. A man like Socrates, who helped people to think, was seen as a danger by the Athenian authorities; it was said that he corrupted young people, and he was therefore condemned to death. He did not agree with this, however he accepted the judgement (to drink hemlock, a poison), in spite of the fact that his friends and pupils (among them his greatest disciple, Plato) proposed ways for him to escape from jail. He preferred to comply with the law. In the next box we can understand Socrates arguments through a text by Plato. If, while planning to escape from here, the laws and the responsible parties of the Polis approached us and asked; Tell us, Socrates, what you are going to do? Is it true that with what you propose is to try and destroy us and the whole city as far as you are concerned, or perhaps you consider it possible that it might still exist, that said city, in which the pronounced sentences have no strength, does not collapse, but might lose the authority and be annihilated by other ones? Are we going to say that the city was unfair with us and did not sentence justly? Should we say this or not? This, by Zeus, friend Socrates, is what Crito replied. And what are we going to reply if the laws say: Socrates, is this the agreement stipulated between you and us? Did not you promise to submit yourself to whichever sentence the city might pronounce? () What are your complaints against the city and us? () Let's see, to start with: did we not give birth to you, as thanks to our mediation your father married your mother and engendered you? Or, do you have any reason to be angry about marriage laws? And as for the laws related to the upbringing and education of children that you yourself enjoyed, perhaps the orders given to your father on how to instruct you were no good? Yes, they were, I would reply. Well then, if you were born, brought up and educated at our mercy, can you maintain that you are not our son and slave, you and your ancestors? () Perhaps you are so wise that you do not see that the homeland is more worthy of respect than the mother, father and all ancestors? What will we reply to this, Crito? That the laws say the truth or not? That they say the truth. PLATO, Crito

ACTIVITIES: - Look up more information about Socrates and his disciple Plato. - Look up in the dictionary the terms maieutic and irony (the two Socratic methods). - Why do you think that Socrates asserted, I only know that I know nothing? - How does Socrates argue the need to comply with the law? - Write down the expressions from Plato's text where the foundation of the authority of law is captured. - How can it be as revolutionary to obey laws as to infringe them? - When, perhaps, is it legitimate to disobey a law?

Education for Citizenship and Human Rights. Unit 3

Contents
1. The Organisation of Freedom: Conflict and Cooperation
From Freedom to Freedoms In the social organisation of human interaction, the Law plays an important role. When Law is studied it is always divided into two parts, on one hand private law, which groups the subjects related to citizens' private lives as well as family relationships, property, agreements and the acquisition of citizenship. On the other hand, public law groups subjects related to citizens' public life, such as participation in public activities, the election of individuals to public office, the management of public assets and in general, the regulation of common activities. These two parts of the Law are only understood when there is a general reflection about the meaning of laws and justice, that is to say, when there is an ethical reflection that provides arguments on issuing the best laws, organising them in the best way within the different codes and applying them most justly. Within this overall reflection about general interests, the common good or common standards, there is a central idea around which all the others revolve: the harmonising of individual freedom with the freedom of other individuals. Therefore, learning about citizenship can be defined as learning about everybodys freedom, not only that of one individual but of a group of individuals. Without this harmonising of freedoms there are only individuals and no citizens. On top of this reflection on the freedom of all people, the Law distinguishes between "freedom" in general and "freedoms". And it deals with "public freedoms" when analysing, regulating and encouraging the public dimension of personal freedom. For example, the first things that dictatorships and tyrannies do is annul the most basic "public freedoms", such as freedom of conscience, thought, freedom of speech, the right to protest, and freedom of association and participation. Exercising citizenship is to promote and defend these public liberties, within the double meaning of the liberties of all people and the liberties of all dimensions of human life. Regulating Conflict and Social Cooperation The interaction of liberties is carried out through a double movement, on the one hand through disintegration, separation and confrontation, what we might call conflict dynamics. On the other hand, through the movement of integration, unification and cooperation, we have what we might call cooperation dynamics. Both movements have positive and negative aspects. The Law adopts these dynamics as regular so that higher standards of liberty, justice, equality and pluralism might be socially applied. The following table shows us this double possibility:

Positive aspects
Conflict dynamics - Outrage and rebellion in the face of unjust situations. - Individuality and critical capacities of citizens. - Social change and dynamism.

Negative aspects
-Disorder and breaking of rules, regulations and laws. - Sacrifice and heroic behaviour not considered by laws. - Personal suffering and pain caused by fighting and confrontation. - Risk of the levelling out of responsibilities. - Complacency with mistakes. - Projects are always carried out in groups.

- Coordination of individual actions. Cooperation - Integration of differences into common dynamics projects. - Achieving of common purposes and aims.

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2. Authority, Legality and Legitimacy From Power to Powers Learning about citizenship does not only consist of learning about how political power functions. Although it is necessary for us to analyse the close relationships between political power and citizenship, it is important that we extend the reflection on citizenship to other spheres of power. In this way, citizenship is not only exercised in the face of political power but also in the face of any despotic, tyrannical or abusive show of power. It is important to extend the reflection on power to other fields of daily life, such as the financial, professional, civil, family or educational aspects, where we often confuse power with other qualities that are necessary for the organisation of these activities. This way, we can at least distinguish the following types of powers: POWER-COERCION (force); capacity to make someone do something by force. POWER-CONTROL (power); capacity to convince without forcing someone's will. POWER-AUTHORITY (exemplary); capacity to convince by guiding someone's will through example. POWER-LEGALITY (democracy); capacity to convince and make someone comply with the laws, harmonising the liberty of all by seeking the common good. From Authoritarianism to Authority In closed societies, the greatest risk in terms of the use of power in all its guises is authoritarianism, that is to say, to abuse the authority that one has. Sometimes, in sports teams the behaviour of captains or coaches is authoritarian, they abuse the power they are given or the trust deposited in them in order to promote their own interests instead of general or common interests. Active citizenship is one of the best ways of ending any sort of authoritarian behaviour because it promotes the capacity to criticise, participation and joint responsibility in the exercising of freedom. In fact, active citizenship helps us to distinguish, in all elements of life, between power (and its forms) and authority (and its perverted form of authoritarianism). Ways of Recognising Authority: Legality and Legitimacy Even though power and powers arise from the interaction of liberties, we, the citizens do not accept just any sort of power or authority. We demand that powers and authorities have an ethical, political and cultural foundation or basis. This basis or foundation is called legitimacy. According to Max Weber, legality is one of the ways of legitimising political power and it has become the most accepted way of breaking away from all sorts of authoritarianism, thus promoting spaces for democratic citizenship.
TYPES OF LEGITIMACY FOR POLITICAL POWER ACCORDING TO MAX WEBER Traditional legitimacy Charismatic legitimacy Characterised by: Tradition is the source or basis for power; doing things as they have always been done. Personal charisma is the source or basis for power: because of his charisma or personal qualities.

Legitimacy based on constitutional legality The rule of law, laws or the constitution are the source or basis for power: in line with the law.

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3. The Promotion of Justice: Rights and Responsibilities The Law: Between Law and Rights Learning about citizenship is directly related to the learning of laws. This does not mean that those who know all the laws by heart are better citizens than those who do not know them. We mean that active participation in a social and political organisation is supported by or based on (legitimised by) an ordered set of laws. This systematised and ordered set of laws receives the name of Law. Unlike the social habits, customs or right or wrong forms of social behaviour, this is about written rules, structured and organized according to the subject they regulate. For example, the highway or traffic code gathers in a written, structured and organised manner the laws that regulate driving. In the same way civil or criminal codes bring together the laws that regulate property or crimes against a person's life. Law is also referred to in terms of the right to make a claim for a just cause, for example when we say "I have the right to X, as if it says: it is justice that I am granted X". In this sense, the term rights describes the pretensions of justice that people or citizens claim before legally constituted authorities.

Justice: Between Responsibility and Responsibilities Learning about citizenship is also directly related to learning about responsibilities. In the same way that we cannot separate heads from tails on coins, neither can we separate rights from responsibilities. Any claim of a just cause entails a responsibility exercised by the person who carries it out. If some neighbours demand sports facilities for their neighbourhood because they have the right, they have to do it in a responsible manner, that is to say, using the adequate methods, attending to the corresponding institutions and, above all, taking joint responsibility for the claim. That is why we speak about responsibilities in plural, as, apart from legal responsibilities, there are others, which can be social, cultural or civil.

ACTIVITY: Good citizens or well-behaved citizens?

At the end of the 18th century the philosopher Immanuel Kant was posed an important problem related to citizenship. What is the relationship between a good person and a good citizen? Is it necessary to be a good person (in moral terms) in order to be a good citizen (in legal terms)? Kant was so convinced about the value and importance of citizenship that he asserted that even a town of intelligent devils would be interested in coexistence among citizens. Man is obliged to be a good citizen although he is not obliged to be a morally good man. The establishing of a state has a solution, even for a town of devils, as surprising as it might sound, whenever they are intelligent, and the problem can be formulated as follows: Organising a crowd of rational human beings who, for their conservation, jointly demand universal laws, even when each one tends internally to evade the law means establishing a own constitution so that, although their particular feelings are the opposite, they please both, so that the result of their public behaviour would be the same as if they did not have such inclinations. (Kant, Perpetual Peace, Tecnos, Madrid). - Do you agree with Kant? Can a good person be a bad citizen? Can a good citizen be bad person? Find reasons for your answer.

Education for Citizenship and Human Rights. Unit 3

4. LEARNING CITIZENSHIP THROUGH COEXISTENCE AT SCHOOL The Most Familiar Spaces for the Participation of Citizens Besides learning about rights and responsibilities, learning about citizenship is learning about feelings. Even though they appear in writing in a code or document, rights and responsibilities are not part of a lesson of civic responsibility that we have to learn by heart. They are part of a lesson of civic responsibility that has to be performed during our daily lives and, above all, in those spaces where we usually exercise our freedom. We do not study the constitution or human rights in order to know them by heart, rather we study them in order to be better citizens. This means that citizenship has a vital and practical dimension that is a task, a training programme, and an exercise. In the same way as before playing a game or carrying out a sporting activity we have to perform warm-up exercises to be in shape and give the best of ourselves to the team, so we have to understand and train in the rights and responsibilities of our most familiar spaces. The School: A Space with Rights and Responsibilities In order to perform this warm-up it might be interesting to know the rules that govern coexistence in the schools to which we belong and in which we participate. Let's remind ourselves of this dynamic of rights and responsibilities through the following table from which we have taken some articles:
De los derechos de los alumnos y alumnas Art. 15. Derecho a una formacin integral. 1. Todos los alumnos y las alumnas tienen derecho a recibir una formacin integral que contribuya al pleno desarrollo de su personalidad. 2. Para hacer efectivo este derecho, la educacin de los alumnos y las alumnas incluir: a) la formacin en valores y principios recogidos en la normativa internacional, Constitucin Espaola y en lEstatut dAutonomia de la Comunitat Valenciana. b) La consecucin de hbitos intelectuales y sociales, y estrategias de trabajo, as como de los necesarios conocimientos cientficos, tcnicos, humansticos, histricos y de uso de las tecnologas de la informacin y de la comunicacin. c) La formacin integral de la persona y el conocimiento de su entorno social y cultural inmediato y, en especial, de la lengua, historia, geografa, cultura y realidad de la sociedad actual [] 3. Los alumnos y las alumnas tienen derecho a que sus padres, madres, tutores o tutoras velen por su formacin integral, colaborando para ello con la comunidad educativa, especialmente en el cumplimiento de las normas de convivencia y de las medidas establecidas en los centros docentes para favorecer el esfuerzo y el estudio. De los deberes del alumnado Art. 24. Deber de estudio y de asistencia a clase. 1. El estudio es un deber bsico de los alumnos y las alumnas, que comporta el desarrollo y aprovechamiento de sus aptitudes personales y de los conocimientos que se impartan. 2. La finalidad del deber al estudio es que, por medio del aprendizaje efectivo de las distintas materias que componen los currculos, los alumnos y las alumnas adquieran una formacin integral que les permita alcanzar el mximo rendimiento acadmico, el pleno desarrollo de su personalidad, la adquisicin de hbitos intelectuales y tcnicas de trabajo, la preparacin para participar en la vida social y cultural, y la capacitacin para el ejercicio de actividades profesionales. 3. Este deber bsico, que requiere del esfuerzo, de la disciplina y de la responsabilidad por parte de los alumnos y las alumnas, se concreta en las siguientes obligaciones: a) actitud activa, participativa y atenta en clase, b) Participar en actividades formativas c) Asistir con material y equipamiento necesario d) Realizar las tareas encomendadas por los profesores [] f) Respetar el ejercicio del derecho y el deber del estudio de los dems []

Decreto 39/2008 del Consell de la Generalitat Valenciana

ACTIVITIES:

1. Observe how the rules and regulations of your school are organised. Analyse the number of articles, titles and sections of these rules and regulations and observe the progression and development being used. 2. Read the rights and obligations that we give you here as an example throughly. Summarise them in your own words. What are the standards that are underlined and defended? Education for Citizenship and Human Rights. Unit 3 7

Se precisa un estadista (o ms)

Zapatero o Rajoy? ste parece ser el nico dilema para las elecciones del 9 de marzo. En realidad, no creo que sea as. A casi treinta aos de la Constitucin hay algo nuevo a considerar. Vivimos un momento poltico muy especial. Precisamos un estadista al frente del Gobierno. La razn es que la Constitucin se est empezando a desencuadernar y hay que insuflar sobre ella renovado consenso. El edificio permanece slido, pero est agrietado en sus consensos bsicos: en el territorial desde hace tiempo y, ahora, en el religioso y otros. El ttulo VIII, sobre las autonomas, est ya en la cuerda floja. Ibarretxe mantiene, terne, su referndum inamovible para el 25 de octubre de 2008, pase lo que pase. ETA debilitada o no- sigue utilizando explosivos como argumentos. La Constitucin dice que se fundamenta en la "indisoluble unidad de la Nacin espaola". Pero ahora algunos prefieren concebirse como pluralidad de naciones con "derecho a decidir" por s solas. Es eso constitucional? La cuestin religiosa estaba pacfica y ahora se remueve. La frmula de consenso fue "libertad religiosa", "no confesionalidad" y respeto a las "creencias religiosas de la sociedad espaola", para cooperar con la Iglesia Catlica y dems confesiones. Pero algunos mantienen que estamos en un "Estado laico", que no es lo mismo. Qu dice la Constitucin? Lstima que el Constitucional est aquejado hoy de extraa enfermedad autoinmune, muy destructiva de s mismo. De otro lado, Espaa ha cambiado mucho en treinta aos. Se han afirmado, pujantes, nuevas generaciones. Se ha recibido fuerte inmigracin. El pas es ms plural y secular; con ms libertad y nivel de renta, ms integrado en Europa y el mundo global. Es normal que convenga una actualizacin de la Constitucin, no subrepticia, sino a las claras y sin trampas, con llamada explcita al poder constituyente, que somos todos. Pero este proceso no puede conducirlo slo un lder de partido sino un autntico hombre de Estado. Segn Disraeli, la diferencia entre un estadista y un poltico es que el primero piensa en las siguientes generaciones y el segundo slo en las prximas elecciones. El estadista tiene visin a largo plazo, conoce los datos de los problemas y resuelve de conformidad, con soluciones que perduran. En cambio, el poltico al uso se aferra al corto plazo, improvisa, toca de odas, salta de arbitrismo en ocurrencia, hace salidas en falso y anda obsesionado por bailar el agua a los suyos. Y aqu surge la pregunta inquietante: son Zapatero o Rajoy genuinos estadistas? No dir yo que no. Pero si lo fueren, lo disimularon hasta ahora admirablemente. Nadie duda hoy que Adolfo Surez o Felipe Gonzlez se comportaran como estadistas, al menos algn tiempo. Surez pasa a la historia como hombre de Estado por culminar la transicin, con la batuta del Rey al fondo. Gonzlez fue -junto con otros- elemento esencial en los Pactos de la Moncloa y en la Constitucin. Su mrito mayor como estadista fue situarnos en Europa tras comprender los requisitos de la jugada, desde la liberalizacin de la economa al referndum sobre la OTAN () Por J. A. ORTEGA DAZ-AMBRONA, El Pas, Seccin TRIBUNA, 05/03/2008. ACTIVITIES: 1. Look up the words you do not understand in the dictionary. 2. List the main ideas of the article excerpt presented to you. 3. If you have the chance to read it completely (you can find it on the Web), what conclusion does the article reach? 4. What is the difference between a statesman and a politician? List the differences. 5. Expand on the information about the events and people mentioned in the text.

Education for Citizenship and Human Rights. Unit 3

Lets go to the Cinema: Elephant

School life has been shown on the big screen several times, most of them without success or quality. The film "Elephant" shows the life of a school by paying special attention to its details. It follows the lives of young people and it seems that nothing happens. This school is, however, the famous Columbine High School (Colorado), where an appalling massacre took place in 1999 when two armed youngsters took the lives of 13 people (12 students and one teacher) and wounded more than 20. Unlike the famous documentary by M. Moore, Bowling for Columbine, the director of this film (Gus Van Sant) stays away from any ideological arguments and shows, with amazing skill, the key to the roots of such violence. ORIGINAL TITLE Elephant YEAR 2003 LENGTH 81 min. COUNTRY: United States DIRECTOR Gus Van Sant SCREENPLAY Gus Van Sant MUSIC Ludwig Van Beethoven CINEMATOGRAPHY Harris Savides CASTING Alex Frost, Eric Deulen, John Robinson, Elias McConnell, Jordan Taylor, Carrie Finklea, Nicole George, Alicia Miles, Timothy Bottoms, Matt Malloy PRODUCER Meno Film Company / Blue Relief

WHAT IS IT ABOUT? Fictional recreation of the slaughter by two teenagers, which took place at Columbine High School. The film captures the daily life of the youngsters at the school. It is a film shot half way between fiction and documentary, using a novel and surprising narrative strategy. The film does not try to explain anything at all but it leaves a lot of questions in the air, questions that need to be asked, and we need to try to answer after watching it.

IT MAKES US THINK ABOUT: - The lifestyle of American youngsters. What about young people in Europe? - Values held by young people - The roots of violence - Human relationships in an institution like a school

THINK ABOUT... - If you watch the film, prepare a list of the characters that appear in it and describe them briefly: what they are like, what they do, how they are dressed, how they react. - What is the explanation that you think the film gives for the violent acts? - Do you think that something like this could happen in Spain? Why? - What do you think must be changed, proposed, so that a massacre like the one at Columbine might never happen again? - What can each one of us do, at school, in order to reduce the amount of violence in any form?

Education for Citizenship and Human Rights. Unit 3

Looking Through Images: A Reflection on Citizenship

A. RODIN (1840-1917) is one of the greatest contemporary sculptors. He managed to harmonise tradition and creativity. In his works we can see the influence of great artists like Michaelangelo and the creative impulse that made him question conventional forms.
THE BURGHERS OF CALAIS (1886, French Port of Calais)

Look Up Some Facts - Who was A. Rodin? Expand on the information. - If you look in art history books or on the Internet you will surely find more works by Rodin. Could you name one? - Rodin reflects in this sculpture what happened to six burghers in the city of Calais. They were six citizens that agreed to put themselves at risk in order to help other citizens. Look up for more information about this story using the data we've already given you. Learn to Look - Briefly describe all of the elements of the sculpture, and use the double perspective we bring with us. Take into account that it has to do with a group of people with different attitudes. - How could Rodin's work be characterised? (Based on this image and from others you may have seen) Think About the Image - What do you think the sculptor wanted to express? - What is the value of having sculptures like this in the squares and streets of our cities? Are they about homage or memory? Are they meeting places?

This picture is one of VELZQUEZ'S (1599-1660) most well-known. We find ourselves looking at the work of one of the greatest painters in the history of art. He was a master of technique and expressiveness. This painting shows the surrender of the Dutch before the Spanish army. It was an honourable surrender, and was recognized as such by the Spanish army in that it allowed an encounter between both troops with their flags aloft. In spite of it being a war the act was filled with gentlemanliness, honour and civic responsibility.

Look Up Some Facts -Who was D. Velzquez? Expand the information. -Where is Breda located? Place it on a map. What was the relation of that area with Spain? - Look up for more information about Breda and its surrender. Learn to Look - Briefly describe all the elements in the picture. - What draws your attention in the picture? Think About the Image -What do you think Velzquez wanted to show? - Can a war, a battle be honourable and civil? When? Under what conditions? - What could be the meaning of the keys in the picture?

THE SURRENDER OF BREDA (1635, Museo del Prado, Madrid)

FEELING AND THINKING WITH IMAGES - Which image, picture or drawing would you use to represent your idea of citizenship? - Should you have to present an exhibition of paintings or sculpture on the subject of Citizenship, to which artists would you turn? What sort of works would you display?

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10

The World of Literature: On Weapons and Words (Cervantes)

M. de Cervantes, The Ingenious Nobleman Don Quixote de la Mancha, Chapter XXXVIII, which deals with the curious speech that Don Quixote made about weapons and letters.
Llguese, pues, a todo esto, el da y la hora de recebir el grado de su ejercicio; llguese un da de batalla, que all le pondrn la borla en la cabeza, hecha de hilas, para curarle algn balazo, que quiz le habr pasado las sienes, o le dejar estropeado de brazo o pierna. Y, cuando esto no suceda, sino que el cielo piadoso le guarde y conserve sano y vivo, podr ser que se quede en la mesma pobreza que antes estaba, y que sea menester que suceda uno y otro rencuentro, una y otra batalla, y que de todas salga vencedor, para medrar en algo; pero estos milagros vense raras veces. Pero, decidme, seores, si habis mirado en ello: cun menos son los premiados por la guerra que los que han perecido en ella? Sin duda, habis de responder que no tienen comparacin, ni se pueden reducir a cuenta los muertos, y que se podrn contar los premiados vivos con tres letras de guarismo. Todo esto es al revs en los letrados; porque, de faldas, que no quiero decir de mangas, todos tienen en qu entretenerse. As que, aunque es mayor el trabajo del soldado, es mucho menor el premio. Pero a esto se puede responder que es ms fcil premiar a dos mil letrados que a treinta mil soldados, porque a aqullos se premian con darles oficios, que por fuerza se han de dar a los de su profesin, y a estos no se pueden premiar sino con la mesma hacienda del seor a quien sirven; y esta imposibilidad fortifica ms la razn que tengo. Pero dejemos esto aparte, que es laberinto de muy dificultosa salida, sino volvamos a la preeminencia de las armas contra las letras, materia que hasta ahora est por averiguar, segn son las razones que cada una de su parte alega. Y, entre las que he dicho, dicen las letras que sin ellas no se podran sustentar las armas, porque la guerra tambin tiene sus leyes y est sujeta a ellas, y que las leyes caen debajo de lo que son letras y letrados. A esto responden las armas que las leyes no se podrn sustentar sin ellas, porque con las armas se defienden las repblicas, se conservan los reinos, se guardan las ciudades, se aseguran los caminos, se despejan los mares de corsarios; y, finalmente, si por ellas no fuese, las repblicas, los reinos, las monarquas, las ciudades, los caminos de mar y tierra estaran sujetos al rigor y a la confusin que trae consigo la guerra el tiempo que dura y tiene licencia de usar de sus previlegios y de sus fuerzas. Y es razn averiguada que aquello que ms cuesta se estima y debe de estimar en ms. Alcanzar alguno a ser eminente en letras le cuesta tiempo, vigilias, hambre, desnudez, vaguidos de cabeza, indigestiones de estmago, y otras cosas a estas adherentes, que, en parte, ya las tengo referidas; mas llegar uno por sus trminos a ser buen soldado le cuesta todo lo que a el estudiante, en tanto mayor grado que no tiene comparacin, porque a cada paso est a pique de perder la vida. Y qu temor de necesidad y pobreza puede llegar ni fatigar al estudiante, que llegue al que tiene un soldado, que, hallndose cercado en alguna fuerza, y estando de posta, o guarda, en algn revelln o caballero, siente que los enemigos estn minando hacia la parte donde l est, y no puede apartarse de all por ningn caso, ni huir el peligro que de tan cerca le amenaza? solo lo que puede hacer es dar noticia a su capitn de lo que pasa, para que lo remedie con alguna contramina, y l estarse quedo, temiendo y esperando cundo improvisamente ha de subir a las nubes sin alas y bajar al profundo sin su voluntad. Y si este parece pequeo peligro, veamos si le iguala o hace ventajas el de embestirse dos galeras por las proas en mitad del mar espacioso, las cuales enclavijadas y trabadas, no le queda al soldado ms espacio del que concede dos pies de tabla del espoln; y, con todo esto, viendo que tiene delante de s tantos ministros de la muerte que le amenazan cuantos caones de artillera se asestan de la parte contraria, que no distan de su cuerpo una lanza, y viendo que al primer descuido de los pies ira a visitar los profundos senos de Neptuno; y, con todo esto, con intrpido corazn, llevado de la honra que le incita, se pone a ser blanco de tanta arcabucera, y procura pasar por tan estrecho paso al bajel contrario. Y lo que ms es de admirar: que apenas uno ha cado donde no se podr levantar hasta la fin del mundo, cuando otro ocupa su mesmo lugar; y si este tambin cae en el mar, que como a enemigo le aguarda, otro y otro le sucede, sin dar tiempo al tiempo de sus muertes: valenta y atrevimiento el mayor que se puede hallar en todos los trances de la guerra. Bien hayan aquellos benditos siglos que carecieron de la espantable furia de aquestos endemoniados instrumentos de la artillera, a cuyo inventor tengo para m que en el infierno se le est dando el premio de su diablica invencin, con la cual dio causa que un infame y cobarde brazo quite la vida a un valeroso caballero, y que, sin saber cmo o por dnde, en la mitad del coraje y bro que enciende y anima a los valientes pechos, llega una desmandada bala, disparada de quien quiz huy y se espant del resplandor que hizo el fuego al disparar de la maldita mquina, y corta y acaba en un instante los pensamientos y vida de quien la mereca gozar luengos siglos. Y as, considerando esto, estoy por decir que en el alma me pesa de haber tomado este ejercicio de caballero andante en edad tan detestable como es esta en que ahora vivimos; porque, aunque a m ningn peligro me pone miedo, todava me pone recelo pensar si la plvora y el estao me han de quitar la ocasin de hacerme famoso y conocido por el valor de mi brazo y filos de mi espada, por todo lo descubierto de la tierra. Pero haga el cielo lo que fuere servido, que tanto ser ms estimado, si salgo con lo que pretendo, cuanto a mayores peligros me he puesto que se pusieron los caballeros andantes de los pasados siglos. Todo este largo prembulo dijo don Quijote, en tanto que los dems cenaban, olvidndose de llevar bocado a la boca, puesto que algunas veces le haba dicho Sancho Panza que cenase, que despus habra lugar para decir todo lo que quisiese. En los que escuchado le haban sobrevino nueva lstima de ver que hombre que, al parecer, tena buen entendimiento y buen discurso en todas las cosas que trataba, le hubiese perdido tan rematadamente, en tratndole de su negra y pizmienta caballera. El cura le dijo que tena mucha razn en todo cuanto haba dicho en favor de las armas, y que l, aunque letrado y graduado, estaba de su mesmo parecer.

FEELING AND THINKING WITH WORDS - Explain the meaning of the text. Look up the words you don't understand or ask your teacher. - It is a speech about weapons and words. Which of the two is Don Quixote (Cervantes) in favour of? Underline the arguments of both sides. - Look for more arguments in favour of one or the other. Considering that they are two very different activities, how can they be combined? - How does G. Dor represent Don Quixote in this engraving?

Don Quixote engraving by G. DOR

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Final and Summary Activities

1. The dictionary of a language gathers the diverse meanings of words. It's a very useful analytical and reflective task to look up words in them, both words we do not know as well as those that are full of different meanings. We suggest you to look up two words that have frequently appeared in this unit: right" and law.

Right - Based on something, correct, reasonable; - Faculty of the human being to legitimately do things that lead to the vital goals; - Faculty of doing or requesting everything that the law or the authority establishes in our favour, or that the owner of something allows us to do.

Law - Constant or invariable rule and regulation of things, arisen from the first cause or from the qualities and conditions of things. - Each one of the existing relations between the different elements that are part of a phenomenon. - Rule issued by a competent authority, in which something is allowed or forbidden in line with the legal system and for the good of the governed. - In the constitutional system, resolution voted by the Courts and sanctioned by the Head of State.

- Did you know all the meanings of these terms? - Look up expressions or create sentences (and contexts) where these terms appear with their different meanings. 2. Thoroughly read this text by H.G. Gadamer (1900-2002): The authority of people does not have its ultimate foundation in a submissive act and the abdication of reason, but in an act of knowledge and recognition: it is recognised that the other is above another in judgement and perspective and that, consequently, his judgement is preferential or has primacy with regard to one's own. Authority is not granted; it is acquired, and has to be acquired if one wants to resort to it. It relies on recognition, and, consequently, on an action of reason itself, that is, the acceptance of one's own limits, attributing to the other a more accurate perspective. Correctly understood, this meaning has nothing to do with the blind obedience of authority. (Gadamer, Truth and Method, Sgueme, Salamanca), - What is authority? Where is a person's authority? Why is it positive? - To which distorted concept of "authority" is the text opposed? 3. Prepare an organisational chart of your school and analyse the obligations and responsibilities of each one of the people, governing organs or representational bodies. How is the head teacher chosen? How does the school council work? What are the responsibilities of the teachers' board or the student committee?

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Find Out and Take Part

The institutions in which we live, the ones that make our lives possible, set out our rights and, also, our duties and obligations. Below, we have proposed a list of "institutions" that distribute rights and duties. What are the rights and duties they distribute? Find out what your rights and obligations are (taking into account that they are almost always written down, that is to say, they're "regulated"). Complete the following table:

RIGHTS Family Sports centres Library Shopping Centres Health clinics-hospital Work spaces

OBLIGATIONS (RESPONSIBILITIES)

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