Causes Of Civil Disobedience

When governments continuously disenfranchise their population by lack of economic opportunity or education, they have a right to revolt against their governments. Both violent and nonviolent protests develop under the same conditions and fight for the same causes, therefore, both forms of civil disobedience are justifiable. Historically, marginalized groups, especially black communities in the United States, have experienced terror by the hands of police for centuries. After centuries of harassment, black communities have taken a stance against the injustices committed by those who are sworn in to protect them. Civil disobedience, whether violent or non-violent, is universally a justifiable method to achieve social change.
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Oppressed people cannot simply ask their oppressors for them to stop murdering and persecuting them. Historically oppressed groups have always had to participate in civil disobedience or commit violent acts if they want to gain their freedom or establish legal protection under the law. When looking at other revolutions throughout history there has always been some form of civil disobedience. In late 2010, Mohaamed Bouazizi set himself on fire after officials stopped him from selling vegetables (NPR Staff). This act of civil disobedience in Tunisia erupted and spread throughout the Arab nations. The youth within these countries rose up against the injustices committed by their governments, extreme poverty, and a demand for democracy (Ajami). Both the Freddie gray Protests and the Arab spring have a common cause: government oppression. Although, the Freddie gray protests ideally about police brutality also stems further into the treatment of African Americans in society. In both movements, the lack of education and social mobility has led to a population angry about their disenfranchisement. These protests are also similar in the way that the government responded. In both cases the government used either the military or increased militarization of the police force to repress the protests. In Baltimore a curfew was put into place, use of excessive use of tear gas and rubber bullets and numerous illegal arrests (Cleary; Daileda; Sampson). In Tunisia the government implemented a curfew and ordered the military to shoot civilians