Martin Luther King Theme Of Equality And Oppression

After watching all of the lectures and reading the assigned material, I thought of a quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. He states that “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

This quote relates to both of the readings because in both, people were oppressed and violated by a higher power. In the declaration of Independence, the crown that ruled over Great Britain was abusive and only cared for personal gain. The king only cared about furthering his own agenda rather than helping the people he ruled over. The Declaration of the Rights of Man dealt with a similar issue. The governing body of France had fallen into corruption due to ignorance and neglect for human equality. The Americans were being oppressed by the crown and the French by their own government. It was this oppression and want for freedom that gave incentive for seeking a better life. The central theme in both the readings revolved
Rebellion was taking place because the people weren't happy about the way they were being treated.

The French Revolution was a result of a corrupt government. The poor had virtually no power and the rich controlled everything. Citizens were being incarcerated without a trial and the government had no restrictions. The revolution was the consequence of an unfair system that treated people differently based on wealth and class. One example of this oppression was the Bastille prison, it represented oppression and inequality. The next lecture touches on the American Revolution. This revolution was the separation of the colonies from the motherland. The revolution took place because the colonies wanted better treatment and action by the crown. Although the colonies did earn their freedom, equality and fair treatment didn't exist because of slavery. The men that