Civil Disobedience And Non-Violence

In this essay, I will explain why civil disobedience was the most important concept for Gandhi. He believed that non- violence was superior that violence, because it does not harm anyone but it awakens the peaceful spirit causing conscious suffering. I will discuss how civil disobedience can be more powerful than guns and my views on the subject. I will provide examples of the drawbacks of civil disobedience and in which situations is not appropriate. I will go into further detail on the correct path to political change and a time that I can think of, when non-violence worked better for me.
Civil disobedience was the most important for Gandhi because non- violence is perceived as a personal and political value, is the power of change. He believes that non-violence is the weapon of the strong and by doing so, you are being more valuable, not harming others and awakening the inner peace of the mindless causing conscious suffering. In the practice of civil disobedience and non-violence, there is absolutely no violence under any circumstances and it always holds the truth. It can be used as different forms of social and political action.
Civil disobedience is very powerful because it express different views that have made it necessary for men of courage and good will, to reveal against evil.
Non- violent civil disobedience can be more powerful than guns because it is, the people revealing against evilness. For example we have seen many social movement that have made an impact in political views. Rosa Park is a great example, she refused to give her seat to white men and was arrested for civil disobedience. She did not follow, an unjust law which required African Americans, to give up their seat to white people when the bus was full. Because of her arrest, there was boycotting against the law for a long period of time which then led to supreme decision banning segregation on public transportation, this example shows how civil disobedience can be more powerful than
guns.
Although Rosa’s Park refusal to give up her seat made a political change there are disadvantages to civil disobedience such as her arrest, another example is when people refuse to pay their income tax or hospital bills, on big issues like the ones mentioned, most of the time the government won’t react and instead the federal funds will be low and the hospitals will close due to no funding, worsening the situation for everyone. In order for civil disobedience to work, the act has to bring immediate attention, and get people boycotting against the unjust law. You cannot use civil disobedience for every law out there that you may think is unjust, the same unjust concept has to be perceived by many other people who are willing to make a change peacefully in order to work.
I think the correct path to political change is to make everyone aware of the different unjust laws and get together as a community and society, in a peaceful way to make a change. I think that if we all get together and boycott against laws that are in such a way that discriminate others we can all make a change, without violence.
I can think of one time that non- violence worked for me. I saw many 6th graders being bullied by 8th grade students during lunch which was the only time 6th graders were together with 8th graders. I talked to the principal and never reacted violent with others and the school rule was changed to where each grade had their own lunch time.