Rights, Duties and the Law
FoundationRights and duties go together: enjoy your rights, obey the law and respect others, and society stays orderly and fair.
- The Basic Law protects education, speech, belief and personal freedom.
- Duties include obeying the law and respecting others' rights.
- The law keeps order, safety and fairness.
文體小知識：公民教育說明文教我們做個好公民，這一篇講權利、義務和守法的重要性。
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1The Basic Law sets out the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents. For example: all residents are equal before the law; there is freedom of speech, of the press and of publication; freedom of belief and religion; freedom of communication and of movement. Personal freedom may not be violated — no one may be arrested or detained at will except according to legal procedures. Even our free primary and secondary education is a right guaranteed by the Basic Law. These rights make sure every person is respected.
2With rights come duties. Hong Kong residents have the duty to abide by the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and in enjoying rights we must respect the rights and freedoms of others. For us, duties are concrete and daily: school is a right and a responsibility, so come on time and learn well; free speech means thinking before we say anything that might hurt; enjoying community facilities means caring for public property. Rights and duties go together like the palm and the back of the hand — they are always side by side.
3Law-abiding starts small: first school rules, then the law. School rules — be on time, queue in order, never bully — make the campus safe and fair. The law of society is like school rules for the whole city: cross at the traffic lights, do not speed, shops may not sell fake goods, and no one may steal or hurt others. The law protects everyone's safety and fairness. Imagine if everyone ran red lights and cut queues — how chaotic society would be! Obeying the law protects yourself and also protects others.
4The best example of rights and duties coexisting is the public library. We may borrow its books, and at the same time must return them on time, keep quiet and look after them. If everyone kept books without returning them, soon no one could borrow anything. Society is the same: we enjoy clean streets, so put rubbish in bins; we enjoy quiet homes, so avoid making noise at night. Before enjoying a right, ask whether you have done your duty — that is how a good citizen thinks.
5Being a law-abiding citizen can start today: follow school rules, respect teachers and classmates; queue in order, care for public property and sort rubbish in the community; obey the law online too — no spreading rumours, no violating copyright or privacy. As we grow up we will learn more laws, such as traffic rules. The law is not a shackle but society's safety net; when everyone abides by it, society has order, safety and fairness, and everyone's rights can be realised.
1Summary 重點摘要
Rights and duties go together: enjoy your rights, obey the law and respect others, and society stays orderly and fair.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The freedom and protection everyone should have by law.
Something we ought to do, such as obeying the law.
Rules for the whole of society, enforced by the government.
The right to express your opinions.
Freedom from search or detention without legal cause.
The right to choose one's religion freely.
Everyone's right to go to school and learn.
Rules that keep the school safe and fair.
Following the law willingly.
Everything going in its proper, tidy way.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Know what a right isA right is a freedom and protection everyone should have by law, which no one may take away at will. Try examples from life: going to school is our right to education; speaking our minds is freedom of speech; a family's choice of religion is freedom of belief; and no one may search our bodies or belongings without cause — that is personal freedom. Rights let us live with dignity and chase our dreams. Know your rights so you can seek help if they are violated; and remember, other people hold exactly the same rights.
- Step 2: Rights protected by the Basic LawChapter III of the Basic Law lists residents' rights and freedoms, including: equality before the law; freedom of speech, of the press and of publication; freedom of association, assembly, procession and demonstration; freedom and privacy of communication; freedom to move, travel and enter or leave the region; freedom of religious belief; and personal freedom from arbitrary violation. Most relevant to pupils is the right to education: Hong Kong provides twelve years of free education, so every child of school age can finish primary and secondary school. Knowing these rights, we can use them well and respect others' equal freedoms.
- Step 3: Understand what duties areDuties are what we ought to do. The foremost duty of Hong Kong residents is to abide by the laws of the Hong Kong SAR. For us, duties are very concrete: following school and family rules is a pupil's duty; coming to school on time and finishing homework properly is a learner's duty; helping with chores and caring for younger siblings is a family member's duty; protecting the environment and keeping public hygiene is a citizen's duty. Never forget duty while exercising rights: speaking freely is a right, but you must not slander others; playing is a right, but you must not disturb others' peace. Rights and duties support each other.
- Step 4: Why obeying the law mattersWhy obey the law? Because law keeps order, protects safety and shows fairness. Order: traffic rules keep cars and pedestrians in their lanes, and queuing for the MTR lets everyone leave on time. Safety: bans on drunk driving and on selling expired food protect our lives and health. Fairness: the law forbids theft, fraud and fake goods, so hardworking people get what they deserve. Campus is the same: rules make games fair and learning peaceful. Breaking the law brings consequences — a fine at least, imprisonment at worst. Law-abiding is the best protection for yourself and others.
- Step 5: From school rules to social lawsThe ability to follow rules grows step by step. At home we keep family rules: wash hands before meals, put toys back. At school we keep school rules: no lateness, no cheating in tests, no cutting queues. In society we keep the law: cross at the lights, sort your rubbish, never slander online. Rules may seem to limit us everywhere, but they are practice in self-discipline: keeping rules even when no teacher watches is real self-discipline. Day by day, law-abiding becomes a habit, and we move from having to do it to wanting to do it.
- Step 6: Learn rights and duties at the libraryThe public library is a fine place to practise rights and duties. We may borrow books for free, and must complete the borrowing procedure, return them on time and keep them clean; we may use the seats and computers, and must stay quiet, not hog seats, not eat or drink. Think: if someone chats loudly, no one can read with focus; if books are never returned, popular titles soon run out. From the library the lesson spreads: parks, buses and museums all have similar rules. Whenever you enjoy a public facility, remember: rights in hand, duty on your shoulder.
- Step 7: Be a law-abiding good citizenBeing a law-abiding citizen starts on three levels. Personal: be honest, keep promises, never cheat in tests, do what you said you would. Family: follow family rules, help with chores, and make home a place of mutual respect. Society: obey the law and public rules, respect everyone's rights, and when someone breaks the rules, remind them or report in the right way. The law protects everyone and needs everyone to guard it. When all of us obey the law willingly, society naturally has order, safety and fairness — and our rights are best realised in just such an environment.
5Worked example Example
Example: Yan wants to chat loudly with her friend in the public library, and plans to keep a borrowed book at home for three months. She says: Borrowing books is my right! Is she right? What should she do?
- Look at the rights first: Yan may borrow the library's books and use its facilities — that part is correct.
- Then the duties: borrowers must return books on time, and users must keep quiet and must not disturb others.
- Judge: claiming rights while ignoring duties is wrong — if books are never returned, other readers cannot borrow; loud chat spoils everyone's reading.
- Do it right: discuss quietly in the discussion area or outside the library, and return the book or renew it before the due date.
- Answer: Yan is wrong. Rights and duties coexist: she may borrow, but she must also return on time and keep quiet. The right way is to discuss homework in the designated area or outside the library, and return or renew the book before it is due. The same holds in society: we enjoy many rights, but we must obey the laws and rules and respect others' rights — only then does society stay orderly.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Which important right of pupils does the Basic Law protect?
Q2What is the basic duty of Hong Kong residents?
Q3What three things does the law bring to society?
Q4What should you do with borrowed library books?
Q5What must you remember when exercising free speech?
8Recap Recap
- The Basic Law protects education, speech, belief and personal freedom.
- Duties include obeying the law and respecting others' rights.
- The law keeps order, safety and fairness.
- School rules are the first lesson in obeying the law.
- Rights and duties go together, like palm and back of the hand.