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Civil Disobedience

            The use of civil disobedience is not a new phenomenon, nor is it uncommon. There have been many times throughout history when people nonviolently refuse cooperation with injustice. These instances show the persuasive power behind nonviolent civil disobedience. It is only recently that nonviolent refusal of cooperation has been joined with huge numbers of people in order to bring about change in social structure or government. Yet despite the fact that this type of civil disobedience is relatively new it has worked every time it was instituted. Showing that nonviolent noncompliance with injustice is the most effective way of affecting change.
             Nonviolent noncompliance originated largely with Mohandas Gandhi in 1906 at the onset of the South African campaign for Indian rights. Later, the Indian struggle for complete independence from the British Empire included a number of spectacular nonviolent campaigns. Perhaps the most notable was the yearlong Salt campaign in which 100,000 Indians were jailed for deliberately violating the Salt Laws. These actions brought such world attention that change in social structure was unavoidable. Gandhi did not think up civil disobedience by himself, he read many books on the subject including Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Civil Disobedience. Gandhi was very impressed with Thoreau's writings stating, "[Thoreau] taught nothing he was not prepared to practice himself" (Thoreau 422). Nonviolent civil disobedience is referred to as Satyagraha in India, meaning literally "clinging to truth" or in Gandhi's case truth and God were one in the same (Gandhi iii). Gandhi believed very much in God, and therefore had a very clear distinction between body and soul. Gandhi writes "It is a fundamental principle of Satyagraha that the tyrant whom the Satyagrahi seeks to resist has power over his body and material possessions but he can have no power over the soul" (289).


Essays Related to Civil Disobedience

1. Civil Disobedience

Although Thoreau and Luther both agree on the act of civil disobedience, there is one author, Louis Waldman, who wrote an article entitled "Civil Rights-Yes: Civil Disobedience-No". ... This was just another good example of an excellent reason for civil disobedience. ... Board of Education was not achieved by civil disobedience, sit-ins, lie-ins, or marches. ... Board of Education was not settled by civil disobedience, but by peaceful appeals. ... Luther fought for the civil rights of his people even if that meant acts of civil disobedience. ...

  • Word Count: 1738
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Civil disobedience in the civil rights movement

Civil Disobedience has a long,distinguished history. Without Civil Disobedience, the Civil Rights Movement wouldn't have gotten very far in the 60's. ... Civil Disobedience Civil Disobedience like stated before is the refusal to obey a law or follow a policy believed to be unjust. ... Civil Disobedience was used to make a change. ... King's Civil Disobedience was so effective. ...

  • Word Count: 1562
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Elements of Civil Disobedience

People like Mahatma Gandhi, the Boston Massacre and the Civil Rights Movement civil disobedience to be heard and to change the course of history. These three examples of civil disobedience have their own reasons why the topics practiced civil disobedience, but the view on it is in similar manner. ... First and foremost, in Gandhi's opinion of civil disobedience was that civil disobedience is the purest form of constitutional agitation. ... Another historical chapter of civil disobedience would be the Boston Massacre. ... Lastly, the final example of civil disobedience is the Civil Rights ...

  • Word Count: 688
  • Approx Pages: 3

4. Civil Disobedience Research Paper

"Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state has become lawless or corrupt. ... Another condition for civil disobedience to be legitimized, according to Rawls, is that disobedience coordinate with different minorities. ... The damages typically related to civil disobedience are as per the following. First, civil disobedience can be a divisive power in the public eye. ... Numerous scholars view non-violence as important to the legitimately of civil disobedience. ...

  • Word Count: 3194
  • Approx Pages: 13
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. Civil Disobedience

Civil Disobedience What is civil disobedience? ... His only weapon was civil disobedience. ... But there is more to civil disobedience then that. ... There are many forms of civil disobedience. ... Labor organizations have used civil disobedience to receive benefits on many occasions. ...

  • Word Count: 320
  • Approx Pages: 1
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6. Civil disobedience

Civil Disobedience When we think of civil disobedience in modern times we conjure up images of Martin Luther King Jr. fighting for African American civil rights against White America, or Ghandi peacefully defeating the British in India. ... Civil Disobedience has as long a history as governments themselves. ... On the other hand social protest in the form of civil disobedience has been proven to be one of the most formidable ways to deal with government injustices. ... If Bush manages to steal another election I would hope that the civil disobedience movement would mobilize to fight the ...

  • Word Count: 415
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7. The Result of Civil Disobedience

Some claim that civil disobedience is provider of democracy and every citizen should show their disobedience against government and its laws. ... However civil disobedience destroys them. ... Civil disobedience is not above the law, but against the law. ... There are so many of ideas about civil disobedience and most people think that civil disobedience destroys the democracy. ... In some situation civil disobedience can be legally true nonviolent movement. ...

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8. Socrates and Civil Disobedience

As a result, the signing of the Declaration of Conscience could easily be considered civil disobedience. A fundamental characteristic of civil disobedience is the use of non-violent protest against the government. ... An act of civil disobedience must also be motivated by morality. ... In history, however, civil disobedience has played an enormous role in the evolution of society. ... Therefore it is imperative that we know the definition and purpose of civil disobedience, what constitutes civil disobedience, and the changes that it can bring about - and of course, how it can be acc...

  • Word Count: 1527
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. Civil and Uncivil Disobedience

When going through civil disobedience, you disobey the law of where you live. Examples of civil disobedience can be not paying taxes, boycotting, and picketing. ... However, when civil disobedience is triggered by violence inflicted on the protesters, civil disobedience does not work; protesters can then use uncivil disobedience. ... Whether it be civil disobedience providing a positive image, delegitimizing the people in power, or providing a positive image, civil disobedience would be more effective to let people fight for what is right.  ... Civil disobedience can be a way to delegitimize ...

  • Word Count: 587
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

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