In summation, civil disobedience is a tool that has been used to improve our freedoms through the decades. It has allowed for peaceful ways for the people to stand up for something they believe in. As Henry David Thoreau said, “The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time, what I think is right.” That is what makes a society free, the ability to disagree with others,
Civil disobedience and peaceful resistance to laws have instigated within our country, in so many instances, much-needed change. The Boston Tea Party, the Suffragettes, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights movement are only a few examples of times that civil disobedience has redefined our country. Without peaceful resistance to laws on moral or political grounds, the citizens of the United States would not have many of the freedoms we value.
Civil disobedience is the refusal to conform to certain laws as a form of harmless political protest, while being aware of the consequences that could result because of it. Peaceful resistance to laws positively impacts a free society because actions are taken due to people letting their voice be heard. While some may argue that the main reasons of this are the five basic rights mentioned in the first amendment (freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition), this issue goes far beyond that. Without civil disobedience, many historical events might have not played such an important role as they did to the point that they changed America in numerous ways; not to mention the courageous people who still take part in protests today to claim the rights they should have.
Civil disobedience and peaceful protest have been and caused a great impact on this country. The United States of America is something that has been greatly changed by these acts and continues to change due to the act of civil disobedience by the countries citizens. The use of peaceful protest and resistance to a law in a free society is something that impacts it for the better of the nation.
Civil disobedience has gained a significant number of people their rights and continues to make a difference. Defiance has inspired a generous amount of change in the world around us, and provided frequent opportunities for creation.Without our capacity to disobey, we would never have been able to question authority and make incredible advancements in science. We would not have even created our own country. Although some rules can help to prevent situations total anarchy, disobedience has unequivocally had a major positive impact on
If we take a closer look at civil disobedience, we can better understand what it means, its goals, and its outcomes. Civil disobedience predominantly exists as direct and non-violent government defiance. Instead of voicing an opinion with a vote or a simple conversation, civil disobedience stands up for what is right using an individual’s whole influence. Therefore, some sacrifices regarding the legality of actions are made in order to preserve the integrity of the mission. In other words, why should a protester follow the law that they are trying to alter? That doesn’t make much sense, therefore civil disobedience allows unjust laws to be broken for the greater good. This method is very effective if, for example, a minority is attempting to
Overall, Civil Disobedience is an important part of the United States and what it is. If America did not have the laws protecting those who had protested against the crimes of the government, it would not have made the progress that it has. Civil Disobedience is a part of the American Dream and must be protected as
America was founded on a principle of civil disobedience. With the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Founding Fathers set forth a powerful precedent. The Declaration said in part, that when institutions of government becomes destructive or abusive of unalienable rights, it is the right of the people to alter it or to abolish it. The history of our nation tells us that civil disobedience is a civic responsibility, and in the alleged words of Thomas Jefferson, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism”. From the Boston Tea Party to the Stonewall Riots, the United States Constitution and advances in racial, social, and gender equality support the idea that peaceful resistance positively contributes to a freer society, and a more equitable America.
In a free society, civil disobedience can bring to light certain ideas that others might not think of with their own sets of beliefs, offering another perspective to consider when deciding just how to govern a country. Looking back in our own history, our country has been formed through civil disobedience, observing acts such as the Rosa Parks incident which had fueled the Civil Rights movements years ago; even looking as far back at the Tea Party, in which that certain event had led to our eventual freedom from Great Britain. However, in our current society, certain acts that people label as 'Civil Disobedience' are actually acts that set us back as a country in terms of acceptance and forward progress.
Civil disobedience positively impacts a free society for several reasons. Not everything the government does will be accepted by those who know their rights. Protesting peacefully can bring a nation together and get the unimaginable accomplished just by unity. For example, Dr. King practiced protesting without the use of violence and today he is known as the most influential civil rights activist to ever live. He led peaceful marches with thousands of comrades, holding signs condemning the nation of all of the racial injustice.Change just can't happen over night, one must persevere and stand up for what is right no matter what people say. Without people like Dr. King we would still be living in a very much racist white driven world. We must
Civil disobedience has been used by the people to get the attention of their government and to hopefully inspire change. Civil disobedience is an act of refusal by a large group of people against certain laws. From Ghandi to Martin Luther King Jr, people have used civil disobedience to enact change. While the concept of civil disobedience has been around for centuries, it hasn’t been called civil disobedience until recently. Protest, rallies, boycotting and worker strikes are forms of civil disobedience. Civil disobedience has been used for social change too. For example, the suffragettes, Rosa Parks and marches to legalize gay marriage have had social ramifications. Civil disobedience can be used to change laws, it publicizes important changes but it can be overshadowed by violence. Civil disobedience is a good way to change laws because it’s usually peaceful, brings attention to controversial laws and brings about social change.
Our nation was built on civil disobedience and it has always been a privilege we have held high. It is for this very reason why the First Amendment of our Constitution outlines the right to a peaceful protest among other rights most important to us. But over time, some members of our nation have lost sight of this liberty and see peaceful resistance as nothing more than groups of people who have no respect for the law. But civil disobedience is not doing whatever you want, whenever you want. Civil disobedience is actively protesting what is morally wrong and is the way to a more free and just society.
Civil disobedience impacts a free society in a good way because the people have the right to stand up for what they believe is right. Civil disobedience means that people peacefully assemble to protest. There have been many people who have civilly disobeyed by participating in protests, marches, and speeches. Most of the speeches, protests and marches usually don’t get out of hand because they’re trying to peacefully assemble. There have been times in history where people were taking part in civil disobedience and have been mistreated for standing up for something. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. used to peacefully assemble by making speeches and marching from town to town. Cesar Chavez did the same with Mexicans during the sixties; he
In the United States Constitution we the people were given a right to freedom of speech. People have taken to this right given to us by the Founding Fathers. But, one problem rises to the top with a right that has so much freedom, civil disobedience. It’s a topic that we are seeing more of in our society today. Civil disobedience is a threat against our free society due to people not taking our laws serious enough.
The very nature of how the founding father set up the government was to limit the power of people and consolidate control in the power of elites. The founding fathers created a nation where only property owning white men could cast a vote, state legislatures elect the people's United States senators, and that allowed a whole segment of the population to be cast into slavery. The American people still do not directly elect their own president. The founders of our nation envisioned a conservative government that would be slow to give into the whims of the masses. The very way the United States government is set up, requires another outlet of political dialogue to keep the government responsive to the people. This country has progressed due to the efforts of those who dared to resist laws that they felt were unjust, even if their actions proved unpopular at the time. Civil disobedience is the tool that has corrected many of