Thursday, December 19, 2019

What Makes A Breach Of Law An Act Of Civil Disobedience

â€Å"What makes a breach of law an act of civil disobedience? When is civil disobedience morally justified?† These are the basic questions that are asked when dealing with civil disobedience. According to John Rawls, civil disobedience is a nonviolent breach of laws by the public in order to reform or change laws or government policies. But Rawls’ concept of civil disobedience is too narrow. This raises many questions. Why should civil disobedience be non-violent? Why does the public play a large role in civil disobedience? This paper will touch upon four main sections, the definition of civil disobedience, justification for these actions, examination on whether people have the right to practice civil disobedience, and punishments for civil disobedience. Henry David Thoreau coined the phrase ‘civil disobedience’ for his refusal to pay poll taxes implemented by the United States government in order to fund the war on Mexico and the Fugitive Slave Law. Ma ny others followed his philosophy like Gandhi during the independence movement in India, Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement, and the resistance to apartheid in South Africa. Even to this day civil disobedience is still widely used in movements like the anti abortion demonstrations, the environmental movements and animal rights movements. There are certain features of civil disobedience that are vital not only to societies and governments, but also to justify the breach of laws and government policies.Show MoreRelatedCivil Disobedience : An Important Part Of Society1712 Words   |  7 PagesCivil Disobedience in Democratic Society On December 1st, 1955 a 42 year old African American woman named Rosa Parks boarded a bus in Montgomery and refused to give up her seat to a white passenger after the whites-only section was filled. 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