Nonviolence And Just War Theory

While when discussing the history of the world’s power forces, violence makes for stimulating discussion, other tactics were put to good use, one of these alternatives being non-violence. With the guidance of three worldwide heroes - Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela - with contagious optimism and high spirits, it became apparent just how much of a difference could be made carried out through non-violent terms. Mankind was introduced to another way to resolve major problems just as effectively, if not more, than violence could.

Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi was a spiritual leader from India. Dr. King was inspired by Gandhi after hearing a delivery by Dr. Mordecai Johnson president of Howard University. His words about Gandhi inspired King to want to learn more about him. He purchased all the books he could find and grew more passionately about Gandhi’s beliefs. Gandhi believed in non-violence. Gandhi tested various methods of non-violence. He felt that having high standards and morals did not make one weak. Gandhi felt that good should prevail over evil.

unjust” (Banks 1). “Principle four – accept suffering without retaliation for the sake of the cause to achieve the goal – this characterizes that nonviolent resistance is a willingness to accept suffering without retaliation, to accept blows from the opponent without striking back; accept the violence, if necessary; but to never inflict violence on another” (Banks 2). “Principle five – avoid internal violence of the spirit, as well as, external physical violence – a nonviolent resister not only refuses to fight or shoot his opponent, but he also refuses to hate him; at the center of nonviolence stands the principle of love for one another” (Banks 2). “Principle six – the universe is on the side of justice – this basic fact pertaining to nonviolent resistance is that it is based on the conviction that the universe is on the side of justice which is positive peace, consequently, the believer in nonviolence has a deep faith in the future and therefore, can accept suffering without retaliation. There is a creative force in this universe, that by whatever name we decide to call it, it works to bring the disconnected aspects of reality into a harmonious whole; a universal wholeness for each of us to share with one another and that nonviolence is both the means and the end” (Banks 3). Dr. King also had a couple of

Non-violence is another imperative feature of civil disobedient acts whereby the act of resistance is done without consideration of any extremist measure such as damaging property or harming other civilians. This element of non-violence corresponds with the public nature of the civil disobedience that are normally undertaken such as peaceful march, candlelight vigil , hunger strike and the famous Salt Satyagraha which was undertaken by Mahatma Gandhi and is deemed as one of the most effective and influential part of his civil disobedience actions in his fight for India`s independence.13

Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.

Martin Luther King Jr. is looked up as a hero and a role model because of his use of nonviolence. Around the world, many people were using violence to solve their problems, but King, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, decided that the problem around segregation in the United States would not be solved with guns but with words of harmony. This article, published by Cesar Chavez conveys the powerful effect nonviolence has in resolving conflicts by using comparisons, historical evidence, and powerful vocabulary.

Being able to perform acts of non-violence is to be fully in control of and responsible for oneself. Man’s ability to be nonviolent is the reason that we are distinguishable from animals. Gandhi also practiced Swadeshi (self-reliance) and he applied it not only to the individual but to the entirety of India (in reference that they could be independent from Britain). He believed that this practice showed trusting and relying on yourself and the strength of your own mind and body. He states, “The soul is supreme and therefore soul-force is the foundation on which man must build.”

Stating that “nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him”.

In war every combatant, just or unjust, poses a certain type of threat. On the two opposite ends of the spectrum a combatant poses either a culpable threat or an excused threat. If a combatant poses a culpable threat he poses a threat of wrongful harm to others and he is not justified, premised, nor excused in his actions (McMahan 159). If a combatant poses an excused threat, he poses a justified threat of harm and is therefore fully excused for his actions.

The idea of non violence has stemmed off Gandhi in many forms. Gandhi once quoted “Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man” and he fulfilled what he said.

The contemporary scholar of political perspective on passive protest Gene Sharp views that nonviolent struggle may reflect a moral commitment to pacifism by leaders or activists in a movement such as Martin Luther King Jr and Mohandas Gandhi.

Gandhi taught many lessons to his Christian clergyman friend, but the principal was probably that the lesson taught in the bible need it to be implemented in real life, on each act of our life and not only be preach.

Gandhi was leader of the Indian people. He wanted peace and nothing more. People took advantage of Gandhi because he was all speech, but physical action such as war. When looking at the quote by Gandhi we can break it down peace by peace. The quote starts off by saying “An eye for an eye.” The meaning of the quote is that the aggressive or harmful action committed against

Gandhi once said, “In the dictionary of Satyagraha, there is no enemy.” Through this appealing and amusing topic of Satyagraha, Gandhi and his followers went through a lot of highs and lows. Gandhi pronounced, “Sacrifice is the law of life. It runs through and governs every walk of life.”. The Importance of understanding Satyagraha implies on many levels of intuitively thoughts. Many people may not consider that Satyagraha was not only created to help the causes that Gandhi ran. But the term “Satyagraha” is to perpetuate to into his generation, and the generation after his. Gandhi understood Satyagraha as a “‘Soul Force’ and defined Satyagraha as power through suffering.” Gandhi further emphasized on the meaning of Satyagraha as a ‘force

One of Gandhi’s beliefs on nonviolence was to use non-cooperation when needed. Non-cooperation was a way of showing how empty the