Legal Literacy- Why is it difficult for Indonesian society to obey the law? An in-depth analysis shows that the root of the problem lies not in knowledge, but in laws that have lost their values of justice and morality.

Introduction

The biggest irony of this nation is not the absence of law, but the absence of obedience amidst the abundance of rules. As access to information and the level of legal education continue to increase, violations are becoming increasingly rampant—from corruption by high-ranking officials to traffic violations on the highways. This raises a fundamental question: why is it difficult for Indonesian society to obey the law?

Many analyses point to weak law enforcement, poverty, or lack of education. However, there is a deeper root cause than that: the loss ofaxiology—namely moral and justice values—from the way we interpret the law. When the law is just a text without a soul, it will never be obeyed sincerely.

Our Foundation is Strong, But Why is Our Behavior Fragile?

Fundamentally, we are not a society without identity. Our ontological foundation as a nation is very strong: we believe in God, uphold mutual cooperation, and respect customs. Solidarity in the event of a disaster is real proof that these noble values are still alive in our hearts. We know that corruption, cheating, or bribery are wrong actions and contradict our identity.

The problem is not in self-understanding, but in action. If we know who we are, why does our behavior often not reflect these values?

Abundant Knowledge, Thinning Integrity

From the knowledge (epistemology) side, our society can no longer be called lagging behind. Legal information is widespread, higher education is increasingly affordable. The general public understands legal procedures, even lawbreakers are often people who are "legally literate".

Corruptors, for example, are not stupid people. They understand the articles in the law, know the ins and outs of legal procedures, and are even adept at finding loopholes. The legal knowledge they have actually becomes a tool to commit violations more neatly. This is valid proof that our main problem is not ignorance, but the absence of a moral compass to use that knowledge correctly.

Empty Axiology: When the Law is No Longer Worth Respecting

This is where the heart of the problem lies.Axiology, a branch of philosophy that weighs the values of goodness and justice, has been discarded from our legal practice. Without the guidance of values, knowledge becomes wild, intelligence becomes a tool for manipulation, and the law is nothing more than a dead text that loses its meaning.

Legal philosopher Gustav Radbruch once stated that a law that is very unjust is basically not a law. In Indonesia, we witness this phenomenon every day: the law is enforced procedurally, but tramples on the public's sense of justice. Legal decisions are no longer guided by values, the most important thing is to be formally "valid", not substantially "just".

This condition explains why people are reluctant to obey: because the law itself is often not morally worthy of being obeyed. How can the public have respect when the legal system feels more often protects the elite and oppresses the little people?

MK Case: A Naked Example of Law Without Soul

The gross ethical violation in the Constitutional Court regarding the decision on the age limit for prospective leaders is the most blatant example of legal practice that lacks axiology. Procedurally, the decision is considered valid. However, morally and ethically, it is fundamentally flawed. When the guardians of the constitution themselves are proven to have violated ethics without commensurate legal consequences, the public sees the law as nothing more than a joke.

The logic is simple: if those at the top of the legal hierarchy do not respect it, why demand that ordinary people obey unconditionally? Respect for the law is not something that can be forced, it must be earned through example and justice.

Time to Refill the Axiology Void

Our legal, political, and even religious education too often stops at teaching "rules", not "meaning". We are educated to memorize articles, not to think ethically. We are asked to obey, but not given the space to critically ask, "Is this law just?"

The solution we need is not just revising the law, but a revolution of values. Public legal literacy must be reintegrated with moral and ethical education. We need an education system that not only produces intelligent technocrats, but also people of integrity. We need public figures who are not only capable in rhetoric, but also have a sense of shame when they violate ethics.

Closing: Towards a Nation that Returns to Values

The Indonesian nation does not lack intellectual resources, we lack a moral compass. We do not lack legal rules, we are experiencing a justice deficit. Obedience will never grow from fear, it is born from respect.

As long as axiology does not return to being the spirit in every policy and law enforcement, disobedience will continue to be a normal sight. The question we must answer together is no longer "why doesn't society obey the law?", but "how can the law in this country be worthy of obedience again?"