Definition of
Legalism
He legalism is a position that promotes laws be applied literally, without taking into account any additional circumstances. The concept also refers to the legal formality that hinders the effective operation or development of something.
- theory dominance
- negative connotation
- religious legalism
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theory dominance
It can be said that legalism rests exclusively on the theory, which often conflicts with reality and practical measures. Sometimes there are even contradictions between the written precepts, which causes a problem for legalism.
A supporter of legalism, therefore, claims to apply the right positive beyond the consequences and leaving aside the principle of equity. The legalist only accepts the literal meaning of the law.
The aforementioned contradictions and conflicts that legalism can bring can affect all parties involved in the conversation. If a person closes to this purely literal look at the legal normsSooner or later you will fall into a circle from which you will not be able to get out unless you adopt a flexible point of view.
However, if legalism is exercised or imposed by someone with great authority, it may block the development of a third party who cannot defend themselves if they want to keep their activity in a legal framework. The governments and companies often resort to this closed structure to impose certain procedures on the people or workers, respectively.
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negative connotation
The notion of legalism is often used negatively to refer to the legal hurdles deemed excessive. For example: “In this country, legalism means that businessmen have no incentive to invest”, “The insurance resorted to legalism to not pay me the compensation”, “I am fed up with the legalisms that some state agencies use to not attend to the needs of the people”.
Above we talked about the consequences or the scope that legalism can have in the hands of an entity with great authority. In the first example we see that entrepreneurs in a given country are negatively affected by the rules to which their government submits them, and consequently they do not feel that the investments are worth their effort and time.
We continue with the case of an insurance company that relies on this closed gaze to avoid fulfilling the obligation to pay compensation to a client. Unfortunately, cases of this type are not rare and fighting against a corporation is not easy. Finally, the issuer is tired of the manipulation that certain parts of the State carry out to exempt themselves from certain responsibilities, relying on legalism to achieve it.
See also: Insurance
religious legalism
On the ground of the religionthe idea of legalism is linked to the strict respect for God’s laws. The concept, however, is usually a matter of debate, since everything depends on how divine laws are interpreted and the precepts added by people in the name of divinity.
Generally legalism is wielded by evangelical christians like a doctrine centered on a system of rules that allows salvation to be achieved. Legalists hold that there must be a literal and strict adherence to these regulations.
The vision that believers have of the scriptures sacred is changing over the centuries. Today, they are analyzed in a much more flexible way than just a few decades ago, but not everyone accepts this evolution. Legalism in religion prevents the integration of different minorities, such as homosexuals and transsexuals, who are separated from the Church as if they were sinners.
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