Peaceful Resistance: Philosophy And Government

Peaceful Resistance The idea of a free society is an idea frequently used in philosophy and government. It depicts a system where individuals have the power to make decisions without a higher power or force preventing their views or actions. Within a free society, at the root of its existence, is the choice for anyone to resist the rules placed upon them because they are a free inhabitant. Specifically, peaceful resistance is a way for individuals to express their opinions by breaking a law in a way that will not place harm upon the other inhabitants that may or may not follow that same law. Peaceful resistance has a positive impact on society because it allows the law to act the way it should without any added push back from the resistor.

A free society will allow its inhabitants the possibility of challenging a law through civil disobedience. For example, the sit-ins of the civil rights movement was an exercise of this possibility created by the free society of the United States. Protesters would voluntarily go to lunch counters, where they were not allowed, and wait quietly to be served, or until they were arrested. The resistors would be cursed, have food thrown on them, and threatened. However, they remained peaceful because, “Any violent reprisal would undermine the spirit of the sit-in” (IHA). Out of this civil disobedience brought great heros, leaders, and inspiration from the minority classes of America. Those of which still have an immense amount of relevance in today’s culture and politics. The work of peaceful protest brought positive change to America, ending segregation and leading the path for an increase in human civil rights globally. Peaceful resistance was a useful tactic in the civil rights movement because it demonstrated, “that nonviolent direct action and youth could be very useful weapons in the war against segregation (Cozzens). The thousands who purposely broke the laws placed upon them, did it in an orderly fashion which told a clear message to remove segregation. Peaceful resistance is not only an

Laws are placed in order to keep the standards of a society and agreed upon through a social contract of the government and the people. When these laws are felt to be a burden on the people or have a negative effect, peaceful resistance is one of the many way that the inhabitants will rid itself of unjust laws. This process within a free society is self cleansing and can only be achieved in the environment that contains freedom of the individuals. Living a life of liberty is the truest way humans can live, and peaceful resistance is confirms their freedom by checking the laws unto which they are