One of the key elements in political philosophy is the nature of the relationship between the individual and the state. Generally, this is related by a given philosopher to his or her view of the origin of the state, which in turn determines the nature of the obligation owed by the individual to the state. Plato holds that we live in a state and enjoy the protection of its laws and that this gives us an obligation to the state to obey its laws. Socrates is the voice by which Plato speaks, and there has always been some uncertainty as to the source of much of what Socrates has to say in the dialogues, whether Plato can be viewed more as a chronicler or as a philosopher putting words into the mouth of Socrates as a character. In any case, in The Apology, Socrates accepts a death sentence rather than recant his way of life. However, he is also given the option of paying a fine, and he also refuses to do this, suggesting that there is a higher value to be upheld and that any admission of wrong would compromise the moral stance he takes.
For Socrates, the preservation of harmony requires that the individual fulfill his or her moral duty by obeying all of the laws of the state, and the individual owes the state this allegiance because there is an implicit agreement involved--the individual enjoys the benefits of being part of the state and in turn has an absolute duty to live up to the laws of the state. This is made especially clear in The Apology and Crito as Socrates shows that he will obey the laws of Athens even as he is condemned to death by political enemies:
Plato's dialogue Crito shows Socrates's friend of that name trying to persuade him to grasp the chance of life; Socrates firmly refuses, determined to remain obedient to the laws of his city, though he was himself the innocent victim of their unjust operation (Kelly 15).
He argues that he has a duty deriving from convention, which he considers in a deep and mor...