The Evolution Of Civil Disobedience

The Evolution of Civil Disobedience

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will,” declares Mahatma Gandhi as he gallantly strides in the Dandi Salt March of 1930. From being a modest lawyer to a revolutionary activist, Mahatma Gandhi’s actions illustrate the boundless power organized civil disobedience has on society’s progress. To guarantee India’s Independence, Gandhi empowered suppressed Indians to march for their right to produce salt. His idea of a peaceful march originated from the concepts written in American philosopher Henry Thoreau’s essay, Civil Disobedience. Those principles have echoed through national barriers and civilizations in order to forge enhanced and just societies. Furthermore,
Transgressing the law in order to make a statement on its unconstitutionality is embedded in our nation’s history. From the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773, when colonists defied the Tea Act and the lack of representation in taxes, to the Civil Rights Movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King, which sparked an active discussion on the human rights of every individual regardless of race, civil disobedience is behind every revolutionary act of progress. Defying unjustified laws was the foundation of the United States of America; it was the medium of gaining independence from British rule. According to George Washington, “the basis of our political system is the right of the people to make and alter their constitutions and government.” Without these pivotal acts of civil disobedience, our free society with granted human rights and liberation would cease to exist. When considering if recent protests are contributing to a free society, one must take into account that the very formation of this free society was due to demonstrations like
It is a republic that acknowledges every citizen’s voice and protects that right through the first amendment. From the creation of this free nation to the 21st century, civil disobedience has evolved into a pillar stone of progress. It is the catalyst for achieving paramount objectives, and it is the indispensable ingredient of a free society. Civil disobedience was the origin of the United States, and it is the abiding guide that preserves the principles engraved in the birth of this nation. As Dr. King stated, “true peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice,” a justice secured through peaceful