ipl-logo

Martin Luther King And Gandhi Comparison

606 Words3 Pages

Civil Disobedience by Thoreau is the refusal to obey government demands or commands and nonresistance to consequent arrest and punishment this had an extreme effect on Martin Luther King Jr and Mahatma Gandhi. They were fighting for different beliefs. However they both had the same believes about civil disobedience and they both end in the same place, jail.
In the first place Gandhi believed that the only way to confronted injustice was with non-violent methods. Gandhi once said “It is the acid test of non-violence,” “that in a non-violent conflict there is no rancor left behind and, in the end, the enemies are converted into friends.” For example, Gandhi expected Britain to allow India’s independence after World War I, but it did not happen, …show more content…

For example, King’s first opportunity to display Civil Disobedience in his society was in becoming a leader of The Montgomery Bus Boycott. King did wanted to fight towards injustice but he was influenced by the Bible and from his understanding of the teachings of Jesus which showed him that the way to fight injustice was not harming other.
As a matter of fact, King and Gandhi had the same view about civil disobedience, but they used civil disobedience in different injustice act. Gandhi was the preeminent leader of the Indian independence movement in British-ruled India. He used civil disobedience when he expected for Britain to allow India’s independence but even though it did not happened he always remained using non-violence. On the other hand, Martin Luther King Jr was a Baptist minister and social activist who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s.During this time King only goal was to raise the public consciousness of racism, he wanted to end racial discrimination and segregation in the United States. The only way to fight towards this injustice was using …show more content…

Even though by the nonviolence acts that Gandhi used toward the British’s Gandhi was taken to jail for various reasons, one from disobeying authorities to urging public resistance of the British Empire. He beg responsibility and is sentenced to six years in prison but was later released in January, 1924.
At the same time, during the 1963, in the united stated Martin Luther King was also taken to jail. Like Gandhi Even though King used non-violence to fix an injustice law he went to jail. In August 28, 1963 King led a massive protest in Birmingham, Alabama. This caught the attention of the entire world. The Freedom March took place in Washington, D.C. Attack dogs and fire hoses were turned against protestors and King was arrested and took to jail during these protests. There he wrote "Letter from Birmingham City Jail," which advocates civil disobedience against unjust laws. After years of marches, protests, speeches, and conferences in 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. In conclusion, Martin Luther king and Gandhi had more comparisons than contrasts, however they were both protesting for different injustice problems in their government using nun violence acts they both had the same believes about civil disobedience and they both end up in jail. Even though Gandhi end up in jail more times than Martin Luther

Show More
Related
895 Words | 4 Pages

In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. led a peaceful movement in Birmingham, Alabama. The purpose of the demonstration was to bring awareness and end to racial disparity in Birmingham. Later that night, King and his followers were detained by city authorities. While in custody, King wrote the famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” This letter voiced out his disappointment in the criticisms, and oppositions that the general public and clergy peers obtained.

Read More
643 Words | 3 Pages

Civil disobedience is the act of disobeying governmental commands in a peaceful, non-violent, form of protest. Throughout history, peaceful protest have had a positive impact on free society. Peaceful protest have had the biggest impact during the Civil Rights Movement. During this time, many people have led non-violent protest for their rights, including well known African-American Activist, Martin Luther King Jr.. He was most famously known for his speech, I Have a Dream.

Read More
1113 Words | 5 Pages

is the prime example when talking about civil disobedience, for in the 1960s he was the head of the civil rights movement. MLK’s method required one to think logically; with his reasoning segregation was not only unjust but illogic. He achieved his goals through peaceful marches and sit-ins and often used rhetorical questions to accomplish his shared goal of ending segregation. MLK also did what he did for the long run and so that future generations could live peacefully while Antigone did what she did to bring respect to the gods and the dead. MLK believed an unjust law is no law at all so breaking it in his mind is moral and right.

Read More
2124 Words | 9 Pages

India’s leader Mohandas Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi) was influenced by David Thoreau 's Civil Disobedience arguments while sitting in jail. Gandhi loosely adopted the term “civil disobedience” for non-violent protests and refused to cooperate with injustice. Following his release, he protested the registration law by joining labor strikes and organizing a large non-violent march. After the marches, the Boer government finally agreed to end the most divisive sections of the law. In 1907, he campaigned in South Africa and wrote a translated synopsis of Thoreau 's argument for the Indian Opinion.

Read More
798 Words | 4 Pages

One of the most famous examples of civil disobedience is Rosa Park’s refusal to sit in the back of the bus. An article on Newsuem.org named “Rosa Parks and Civil Disobedience”

Read More
1845 Words | 8 Pages

Civil Disobedience Compare and Contrast Henry Thoreau and Martin Luther King both wrote persuasive discussions that oppose many ideals and make a justification of their cause, being both central to their argument. While the similarity is obvious, the two essays, Civil Disobedience by Thoreau and Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr. do have some similarities. King tries persuading white, southern clergymen that segregation is an evil, unfair law that ought to defeat by use of agitation of direct protesting. Thoreau, on the other hand, writes to a broader, non-addressed audience, and focuses more on the state itself. He further accepts it at its current state, in regard to the battle with Mexico and the institution of slavery.

Read More
1692 Words | 7 Pages

The most important decision of a leader is the style of leading they decide to use when inspiring others, or providing a vision for the future. By looking at the past, it is proven that some leadership styles are guaranteed to be more effective than others. The leadership style of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X during the Civil Rights provides significant evidence of how different styles of leading can turn out to be a major success or defeat. Malcolm X’s leadership style included using violence to protest against violence and unequal rights, as well as supporting the segregation of African Americans and the whites. Martin Luther King’s style included nonviolent marches and protests against violence, and peacefully fighting for integrating the blacks and whites.

Read More
282 Words | 2 Pages

He claims “If we want to make progress, we must not repeat history, but make new history”. In the past, in order for citizens to go against their government, violent acts, such as war, were sought out. For example, the civil war was a violent war that fought issues such as slavery and unions. However, Gandhi does not believe violent disobedience,

Read More
1522 Words | 7 Pages

A Letter From Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King Jr. is a name that will never be forgotten, and that will go down in the books for all of time. He was foremost a civil rights activist throughout the 1950s and 1960s. during his lifetime, which lasted from January of 1929 to April of 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and a social activist and was known for his non- violent protests. He believed that all people, no matter the color, have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws and to take a direct action rather than waiting forever for justice to come through and finally be resolved. In the Spring of 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. stated in a speech that Birmingham was among one of the most segregated cities in the world.

Read More
515 Words | 3 Pages

Both Civil Disobedience and the Gandhi article are alike based on the fact they both discuss civil disobedience, attending prison, and standing for one’s beliefs. Civil disobedience can be seen as a good thing and a bad thing depending on to what extent one is breaking the laws. Some people may break the law because they feel that it is unfair to them but others break the for the simple fact of doing what they want in order for it to benefit themselves. Laws are meant for the majority which means even if they are not pertaining to certain citizens. Thoreau targeted laws that pertained to him, Gandhi went on strike for the better of his country and people.

Read More
1974 Words | 8 Pages

Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were two influential men who served as important figures for the Civil Rights Movement. The two men came from diverse backgrounds and had contrasting views in life about religion and African American’s stance in society. Malcolm X was born in Nebraska and had great amounts of exposure to racism. Martin Luther King was born in an educated family in Atlanta, where he experienced racism, but to a lower extreme than Malcolm X. Although they passed away long time ago, they continue to live on today in a world independent of segregation. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X used opposing principles to achieve equality for blacks; King utilized integration of both races and nonviolence as opposed to Malcolm X who separated the same races and employed non violence so as to achieve the same goal.

Read More
525 Words | 3 Pages

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X are two profound African American figures in history. They both fought for equality and to better humanity. But, the tactics they used were very different. Their different views may have been rooted from the where they were raised. Martin Luther King Jr. grew up in a middle class family and received a very solid education.

Read More
301 Words | 2 Pages

Three men Thoreau, Martin Luther King Jr, and Gandhi have in common that have led some people to consider them heroes by having deep concerns for other people, commitment to putting ideas into practice, and moral integrity. They all showed deep concerns for other people by they all wanted to stand up to the government. By doing that they all went to jail for something they stood up for. Martin Luther King Jr. went to jail for speaking his mind, Thoreau went to jail for not paying taxes, and last but not least Gandhi went to jail because the British and tried on a charge of conspiring to overthrow the government.

Read More
959 Words | 4 Pages

In 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. was sent to jail because of a peaceful protest, protesting treatments of blacks in Birmingham. Before the protest a court ordered that protests couldn’t be held in Birmingham. While being held in Birmingham, King wrote what came to be known as the “Letter from Birmingham Jail” Not even King himself could predict how much of an impact this letter would have on the Civil Rights Movement. In the letter kind defended Kings beliefs on Nonviolent Protests, King also counters the accusations of him breaking laws by categorizing segregation laws into just and unjust laws. King uses this principle to help persuade others to join him in his acts of civil disobedience.

Read More
1250 Words | 5 Pages

Focusing specifically on the opposition of racial segregation, The Civil Rights movement symbolized the need for change across America. Between the years of 1950 and 1960, events such as; the March on Washington, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, speeches, protests, and sit-ins, directly defined such opposition. Due to such events, two outstanding leaders of their time, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X emerged into the public eye and began to impact the Civil Rights movement. At a turning point of the century, the two men took charge and became icons across the world while resonating significantly with African American minorities. With such in mind, the two men had extreme differences in their morals, ideals, and religions; however, both deemed

Read More

More about Martin Luther King And Gandhi Comparison

Related Topics

Open Document