My Welcome Article

PrimeTimeEssay

This paper, while agreeing that the use of violence, is often a more effective way for a movement to achieve its political or social objectives, contends that all peaceful methods should be exausted first before considering violent methods. It goes on to present several arguments to support this position and to reference events in the past where violent measures were counterproductive.

Leaders of the civil rights movement had a multitude of strategies to consider. These included classic civil disobedience, education campaigns, coalition building, threats of violence, and urban riots. Looking back, each option can be evaluated in terms of its ethics and effectiveness. Non-violent means are certainly the most ethical, while violent means are frequently more effective in attaining movement goals in the short-term. In order to determine what should be done, peace needs to be the guiding principle. Therefore, leaders of an ideal movement need to exhaust all of the conservative approaches first, leaving civil disobedience as a last resort.