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Elements of Civil Disobedience

 

            The term civil disobedience means the refusal to obey civil laws in an effort to induce change in governmental policy or legislation, characterized by nonviolent means. 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. This essay will be analyzing some of the conflicts of civil disobedience throughout history. First and foremost, in Gandhi's opinion of civil disobedience was that civil disobedience is the purest form of constitutional agitation. Mohandas Gandhi was an Indian independence leader who started the protest of British rule in India. When the British arrived in India, they started to collect some sea salt from the sea close to India. Within a few months, the citizens all over India started to make salt illegally. If the citizens in India wanted some salt they had to purchase the salt from the British, and on top of that the British put high taxes on the salt, in American wise this would be similar to the Tea Act. After Gandhi has heard of this news he planned to have a non-violent satyagraha, or a mass civil disobedience. In Gandhi's mind, nonviolence was not simply a political tactic, which was supremely useful and efficacious in liberating his people from foreign rule. Gandhi led few of his followers to the bay where the British were, but others who also didn't like the taxes joined the march to the bay. When Gandhi arrived he protested but was arrested, however the satyagraha continued and the British rule was removed.
             Another historical chapter of civil disobedience would be the Boston Massacre. This was a street fight against the British soldiers in Boston and a patriot mob, who threw sticks, stones, and snowballs at the soldiers.


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