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September 17, 2012

The Impact of Martin Luther King’s Philosophy of non-violence in the world today

Introduction

Martin Luther King Jnr. is possibly one with the greatest and most remembered black leader to obtain walked the face of America. He was and nonetheless is the most revered public figure not only in America, but across the world as well. He is credited greatly on the end of racial segregation in America.

King was born on 15th January 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia and was the son Reverend Martin Luther King. He played a really instrumental in bringing to an end racial segregation on all public transport specially following the infamous Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955. King is credited for the speech “I had a Dream” that was delivered to around a quarter a million individuals who had assembled at the Lincoln Memorial Park in Washington in 1963 during the March on Washington for jobs and freedom. The “I have a dream” speech is classified as on on the best speeches in America’s history.

King’s eventful and fruitful carrier inside civil rights was characterized by quite a few instances of resistance for the outcomes of racial segregation, this would eventually result in his life being cut short by an assassin’s bullet at Memphis on 4th April 1968. The globe lost one of the most valuable renowned persons.

Despite of his short carrier, King left a mark that has continued to impact the globe even today nearly half a century after his death. Therefore a lot of his legacy has continued to impact and influence the direction of some globe events even today. The philosophy of non-violence resistance is one from the legacies that King left behind.

At this time and age the ideology of non- resistance has been exposed to so a lot resistance and criticism in particular from scholars who see it as a term which is usually hijacked by “social opportunists and unethical politicians” who threaten to end any form of civil liberties in America. Non-violence as practiced by Gandhi or King they argue has no place during the modern world. Analogues are even drawn to even prove indeed that non-violence doesn't necessarily lead to desired change, actually sometimes it does harm than good. Including Fred Handschumacher illustrates this with the HIV virus that eventually reasons good harm for the victim.
To be in a position to realize clearly the non-violence resistance ideology, it's critical very first to understand the history behind it and especially how it is related to Martin Luther King. Non- violence had usually been regarded as by many across the world as on in the many alternatives to bring about alter during the social, political and economic environment. Martin Luther King on his component saw it as “the only road to freedom”. Martin Luther King saw 3 methods of responding to any type of injustice, very first was to accept it, the second was to resort to brutality and use of force and the third was to procedure non- violence resistance. The power behind the third alternative depended so significantly on a power with the moral conscious. 

It was even though he was nevertheless a student at Crozer Theological Seminary in September 1948 that he came to find out for the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi the good Indian leader. In Gandhi’s ideology of Satyagraha that espoused the need for resistance without violence, Kings saw the answer to his quest o eliminate the economic and social injustices not only in America, but within the world as well.

After this encounter King laboriously studied this ideology that advocated the virtues of “turning the other cheek” and these days has grow to be the “predominant way wherever folks overthrow tyrannical governments and make their lives better”. (King, 1958) Soon afterwards Kings was to effectively implement the theoretical aspect in the ideology during the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955. Racial segregation by the end with the boycott was done with, without the need of any type of violent resistance or confrontation.

The ideology as formulated by Gandhi and practiced by King had six primary items that the resister had to adhere to, they included: -
  1. One can often resist evil with no utilizing or getting violent
  2. Non- violence chooses to win the “friendship and understanding” with the opponent and not humiliate him (King, 1958)
  3. Oppose evil itself not the person(s) committing the evil acts
  4. Suffering is extremely redemptive and anybody committed to non-violence needs to be in a position to suffer without any form of retaliation.
  5. At all prices the non-violent resister should each avoid hurting the opponent and himself. To avoid hurting oneself spiritually. Love need to always be the sole motivator not to revenge.
  6.  “ The universe is on a side of justice” ((King, 1958)) thus for your resister to persevere he/ she must have excellent faith to your future.
King was so significantly indoctrinated in these virtues and that is what produced him so successful in using this technique of resistance to an extent it has these kinds of a level of impact across the globe.

Democracy

The major impact wherever the non-violent resistance bore significantly fruit is in The united states itself. It was through the civil rights movements during King’s time that would eventually bring to an end racial segregation. Previously the blacks did not have the opportunity to elect directly or even participate in crucial difficulties with regards to their nation. Blacks these days have King’s type of non- violent resistance to thank for what they appreciate today. It is only via this sort of ideals that today Barrack Obama (an African- American) can pursue the dream to become the president of the world’s super power without having any type of discrimination.

Democracy in way is a non-violent way of changing the way things a run in any government. The us getting 1 in the major proponents of democracy has continued to influence the globe over to adopt this nonviolent way of giving the masses the opportunity to express their alternative of leadership and workout their rights.

In The united states also even though overall accomplishment is sometimes difficult to quantify, nonviolence was the only way or selection to for your blacks to retain their jobs, lives or even homes and thus maintain their “dignity and even now fight for what they believed in” .

The Caucasian majority at that time possessed all of the resources and they had been the majority. The blacks could have effortlessly been wiped out if they resorted to any type of violence as it would were a perfect excuse to fight them back. 

The case that faced the blacks at that time can also be equated to what's happening inside Israel/ Palestinian conflict today. The Israel Federal government has an obvious upper hand in this conflict due to its resources and strength. It has continued to engage in acts that clearly border on human abuse, the Palestinians use violence to retaliate, typically with deadly results. The Israelis use this like a quite perfect excuse to continue suppressing the Palestinians.

Conclusion

Non-violent resistance as practiced by Martin Luther King contributed greatly to the liberation in the minority groups the US. The us could not have achieved its superpower popularity if it its leaders chose to ignore the wind of improve that was flowing in its direction. Likely US would nevertheless be yoked inside chains of racial segregation if ignored the calls for improve whilst they were non-violent. Nevertheless, likely these days America would not be what it's if King resorted to violent techniques of achieving the desired change. The conflict in the Middle East would probably be the scenario America would be facing today; but thanks to Martin Luther King Jnr.

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