Perspectives and Ideas
Martin Luther King Jr. fought for racial equality in America. To achieve this, he advocated the use of non-violent protest methods, arguing that violence could only lead to more violence. He was one of the most well-known voices of the African-American Civil Rights Movement, and contributed enormously to the progress that has been made for racial equality around the world.
King was influenced quite heavily by his father. His father was a Christian priest, and a strong fighter against racism. King’s father instilled the idea that class superiority was a vice within his children, something that King himself would remember for the rest of his life. Despite his father’s urges, King would go on to be a relatively precocious student through his teenage life, doubting the truth behind Christianity. However, his faith was renewed after taking a Bible class, and he would attempt to follow in his father’s footsteps through his 20s, becoming the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. His inspiration from religion arose from his father, helping him to formulate the principles for non-violence that he is known for.
King was one of the most prominent leaders of non-violent protests. His speeches were often filled with the importance of maintaining peace. He also proposed a number of ideas revolving around non-violence: the ‘triple evils’ (poverty, racism, and militarism), his six principles on non-violence, his six steps towards a non-violent society, and his ‘beloved community’. Despite criticism from other black leaders, King would continue to advocate non-violence, holding firm in his belief that this was the best way to achieve unity between all races.
King was mostly inspired by the works of Gandhi when he formulated his ideology upon his non-violent protest methods. In his account upon his tour to India, which was published in the July edition of Ebony magazine in 1959, King outlined his opinion upon Gandhi’s ideas of peace. He marvelled upon the lack of hatred and bitterness in India between the Indian and British, which solidified his opinion that non-violence was the key towards a united society. As he stated: “The way of violence leads to bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers. But, the way of non-violence leads to redemption and the creation of the beloved community.”
However, King believed that non-violence was not simply the abolition of physical violence. To him, it was a relatively complex ideology, which he details in his principles on non-violence. In his first principle, King stated that non-violence was an aggressive, yet non-violent confrontation against evil. In his third principle, King stated that the tool of non-violence was love, not hate. He implemented these principles into his six steps towards a non-violent society, where he continually emphasised on the use of positives and use of direct action.
King was influenced quite heavily by his father. His father was a Christian priest, and a strong fighter against racism. King’s father instilled the idea that class superiority was a vice within his children, something that King himself would remember for the rest of his life. Despite his father’s urges, King would go on to be a relatively precocious student through his teenage life, doubting the truth behind Christianity. However, his faith was renewed after taking a Bible class, and he would attempt to follow in his father’s footsteps through his 20s, becoming the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. His inspiration from religion arose from his father, helping him to formulate the principles for non-violence that he is known for.
King was one of the most prominent leaders of non-violent protests. His speeches were often filled with the importance of maintaining peace. He also proposed a number of ideas revolving around non-violence: the ‘triple evils’ (poverty, racism, and militarism), his six principles on non-violence, his six steps towards a non-violent society, and his ‘beloved community’. Despite criticism from other black leaders, King would continue to advocate non-violence, holding firm in his belief that this was the best way to achieve unity between all races.
King was mostly inspired by the works of Gandhi when he formulated his ideology upon his non-violent protest methods. In his account upon his tour to India, which was published in the July edition of Ebony magazine in 1959, King outlined his opinion upon Gandhi’s ideas of peace. He marvelled upon the lack of hatred and bitterness in India between the Indian and British, which solidified his opinion that non-violence was the key towards a united society. As he stated: “The way of violence leads to bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers. But, the way of non-violence leads to redemption and the creation of the beloved community.”
However, King believed that non-violence was not simply the abolition of physical violence. To him, it was a relatively complex ideology, which he details in his principles on non-violence. In his first principle, King stated that non-violence was an aggressive, yet non-violent confrontation against evil. In his third principle, King stated that the tool of non-violence was love, not hate. He implemented these principles into his six steps towards a non-violent society, where he continually emphasised on the use of positives and use of direct action.