Establishing the security of countries has been one of the top concerns of governments. For a very long time, countries and civilisations have tried to find an ultimate solution to crimes. They struggled to find ways to prevent crimes or to find the most efficient way to punish criminals. Different civilisations tried different techniques, but which one really is the best way?
Most people would probably agree that strict laws are the most definite and obvious method to obtain security. What most people seem to ignore is whether citizens would be eager to live under such strict laws. Many people loathe it when their freedom is restricted by specific laws that ignore their privacy. People enjoy feeling in control of their own decisions, so when the governments enforce restrictive laws people feel contained and uncomfortable. Also, when something private is illegal, people often tend to find unhealthy and insecure ways to do them nevertheless. For instance, in Saudi Arabia alcohol usage is strictly illegal. However, many citizens obtain alcohol in illegal ways and get poisoned because the drinks are contained with the wrong kinds of chemicals.
Furthermore, when certain activities are mildly allowed it decreases the crime rate. The Netherlands is a country that has quite lenient laws. Many acts are legal in the Netherlands such as alcohol usage, soft drugs and smoking. One would expect there to be a higher crime rate, however, the Netherlands is one of the safest countries in the world. People are also pleased and are generally happy because they feel free and capable of their life. An important factor is also the citizens. For a government to have flexible laws, it should trust its citizens. If the citizens of a country are reliable and usually comply with the law, flexible laws will make them feel that their government trusts in them.
In most countries with strict laws, there is a problem when it comes to quite private issues. In acts such as euthanasia and abortion, there is still so much debate. Some governments present religious reasons for illegalising these acts which means they look at law from a very subjective perspective and a parochial state of mind. Unfortunately when these kinds of laws are illegalised people go through really risky situations to ensure their rights. For example, in countries where abortion is illegal, women who can’t afford to have a child is forced to visit unqualified doctors and go through very dangerous surgeries which can ultimately result in injuries or death.
Overall, it is important to realise that restricting people and neglecting their freedom isn’t the best way to ensure their safety. of course some laws aren’t open to debate, but when it comes to laws where individuals have different opinions about, there should be flexibility. Freedom can be beneficial if the governments know when and how to allow it.