Andrea Sepulveda 5/23/13Prof: MahlAssignment: How laws are used as a mechanism for social control?Some believe that laws are used as a mechanism to control the populace. Chomsky clearly shows this to be true in his essay "Drug Policy as Social Control", when he describes the war against drugs in the United States. He points out that the "drug policy" is used as a mechanism of social control, to control those that are from the lower class level and those of different race. Plato in his dialogue "Crito" also describes laws that are used to control population. I believe that the government is monopolizing those that are trying to make a living; I believe that it is unfair.The government (the law) is more of a mechanism of control because the government uses certain laws to control population and people feelings. According to Chomsky's essay one way the government controls them is by "increasing fear, and hatred, and making them hate each other and fear the superfluous people" (pg. 1). These circumstances lead more people to use drugs because the little that they have is taken away from them by the government like their jobs, their money, and less support systems. According to the documentary " The House I live In", the power structure that are created by whites, do not incarcerate their crime, 51% of crack users is used by whites in Los Angeles. All that the white rich people want to do is gain more money and business. Chomsky also believes that the state is not the protector of the people; in contrast they are the enemy of many citizens. According to Chomsky's essay the drug law criminalized mostly poor black males which make other people fear certain races and also make them feel like if they are the bad ones. This is what the drug war is about, controlling people and blaming them.In Plato's dialogue "Crito" we can see how laws in this case are controlling Socrates. Socrates believed in accepting and working within, without rebelling against the law. He spoke his truth and if his truth was not good enough he would face his punishment. He also felt that if he was to escape he will be a moral coward and will not be accepted in heaven. In one of our class discussions we mentioned how Socrates can be compared to Martin Luther King. Socrates and Martin L. King believed in "Changing Laws" of the power structure by dir...
