Romanticism and Civil Disobedience
Thoreau, Gandhi, and Esther
Deep Thoughts
Introduction
There are a few beliefs that have been passed down from Romanticists or Transcendentalists, such as Idealism, Individualism, Optimism, and following one's Intuition.
Optimism
Individualism
Idealism
Intuition
Influential Leaders
Civil Disobedience
Civil disobedience is the purposeful and peaceful violation of certain laws. It is like not following the law, because they don't see it as a good thing or like trying to show their claim against a law. Also, it includes the belief that ordinary people have the responsibility and power to better their political system and their society. Both Henry David Thoreau and Mahatma Gandhi followed this practice.
Henry David Thoreau
I would think how it is not fair the government has more power, as well as has power over the people. As I read "Civil Disobedience," I became more in-depth on the idea of how the government is unjust. I would go on, agreeing with Thoreau's simple opinions, from how people expect someone to lead, to how the government is like a bunch of mischievous kids. In "Civil Disobedience," Henry David Thoreau claimed, "When an acorn and a chestnut fall side by side, the one does not remain [unmoving] to make way for the other, but both... spring and grow and flourish as best they can, till one, overshadows and destroys the other." I strongly agree with his explanation of how the government grows and grows, overshadowing people's needs to flourish. Most of the time, people want to go with their intuition, but the government doesn't allow them to. I do wish that the government could stop being ignorant and do what's best for all the people, including the government.
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi is one of the recent non-violent protesting leaders in India. He is known as the primary leader of India's independence movement and who formed a non-violent civil disobedience philosophy that influenced the world. He did and made choices that would better the country of India, for India was not entirely free from the unjust rule of Britain. In India, it was illegal to get their own salt, sell salt, or buy salt from the sellers, but to buy salt from the British. Gandhi got many to follow him for a protest, the Salt March. He presented a speech, On the Eve of Historic Dandi March, the day before the Salt March, for he thought it would be his last speech. The significance of this speech was for the people to protest to show they can lead and have their own government. There were a few examples of how the Indians can protest that Gandhi stated, such as refusing to support or work for the British government. Gandhi believed that the non-violent protests would help India gain independence from the British rule. During the Salt March, the protesters stayed non-violent while the British soldiers did not. This showed the great strength and power the Indians had.
The speech, "On the Eve of Historic Dandi March" tells how Mahatma Gandhi desired to get a greater government by non-violent protest. His idea that non-violent protest is the best choice is really good. I feel as though I agree with most everything Gandhi says or does, for he is a very peaceful, wise, and trustworthy man. He recognized that the problem with British rule should come to a stop by non-violent protests. I think it depends on the conflict if there should be a violent or non-violent protest. If the conflict is getting out of hand and is running out of time to stop it, violence is acceptable. For example, if there was another country coming over to America taking people's possessions, then they start hurting Americans. Soon, they start killing Americans. A quick way to end this conflict is by violence. Otherwise, I believe, agreeing with Gandhi, that nonviolence is the best solution to any conflict or problem when the conflict or problem that doesn't get any worse than it already is.
Conclusion
Sources
"Mahatma Gandhi Biography." Biography.com Editors. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 10 Dec 2015.