Sabrina Rueda

October 4, 2014
English 1A
Passive Resistance
Mahatma Gandhi first popularized the art of passive resistance. With Gandhis method of
Satyagraha meaning instance on truth and force(Gandhi), he fasted, protested, and marched.
Gandhi used these techniques to free India from the oppressive British rule. Documenting his
righteous path to human rights and freedom, his reasons and methods and successes are open to
the public. The impact of his passive resistance can be seen as it passes on from generation to
generation. One generation that we see successfully use passive resistance was the generation
that fought segregation during the civil rights struggle. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was
influenced by Gandhis inspiring work of passive resistance. Gandhis influence on King
compares, differs, and even expands on his theory on passive resistance.
Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi both used their techniques of nonviolence to protest
the wrongful doing to protect their people; in this way, both Gandhi and Kings philosophy and
methods of protest agrees with each other. Gandhi sought to protect his Indian people from the
horrible grasp of the British; he also wanted to have a world without discrimination. In his text,
The Theory and Practice of Passive Resistance, Gandhi points to the ever-growing militarism
under which the nations of the West are groaning and are being almost crushed to death
(Gandhi). He warns that the imperialism of these nations fairly promise to overwhelm even the
nations of the East (Gandhi). This ominous message threatens the leader enough to spark his
movement of freedom; his interests lay in the protection and security of his people, including
people of other ethnicities and castes. He doesnt want them oppressed or abused by the
tyrannical elite. King, similarly, felt the need to change the social norm of the 50s most
importantly, segregation and the systematic oppression of his people by the white majority. In
Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail, king describes the horrors of his life as an African
American But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and
drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick,
brutalize, and even kill your black brothers and sisters with impunity King wanted a better
life for African Americans just as Gandhi sought a better life for all Indian people. King yearned
for a world in which there was no segregation, no prejudice and no brutality of all people. Their
goals, in this way, agree with each other in that they want peace among all people in their
respective nations. (King). Similarly, their nonviolent methods of achieving this goal are in
synch.
Both King and Gandhi were very persistent in their nonviolent tactics. Gandhi shows an
example of passive resistance in his text, Law of Suffering, Gandhi, says (w)e must not, for
fear of ourselves or others having to sufferwe must combat the wrong by ceasing to assist the
wrongdoer directly or indirectly(Gandhi). Gandhis simply saying instead of fighting and
starting wars for their freedom theyre just going to stop assisting the British. Theyre going to
stop participating in their injustice, they are going to take a stand and stop this unfairness, but
theyre going to do it peacefully. King also made sure that they went on with their protests as
nonviolently as possible We decided to go through a process of self-purification. We started
having workshops on nonviolence and repeatedly asked ourselves the question, Are you able to
accept blows without retaliating? According to both freedom-fighters, passive resistance is the
only way to get your point across. If King and Gandhi fought back physically like barbarians,
nothing would get done. It would just be a fight that the police would win and the whole goal of
the movements would be washed over. Passive resistance is a mature, or higher-road, practice.
Both leaders urge the oppressed masses to be unyielding with their demands toward the
tyrannical leaders, but to not spoil the message with violence and immaturity. In other words,
passive resistance is saying that we are going to resist even when the majority abuses and attacks
us because we know what love and brotherhood truly look like; we are mature enough to show
that to you through example. Therefore, both Gandhi and King shared beliefs that justice will
prevail and that hate could be conquered by love through passive resistance.
However, both King and Gandhis ideas split on the extent theyre willing to sacrifice
themselves. King was never afraid of death and even when he was being beaten and his
followers were being beaten he stood his ground. He states, I gradually gained a bit of
satisfaction from being considered an extremist. Was not Jesus an extremist in love? -- "Love
your enemies, bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you" (King). He
compares himself to Jesus and how no matter what, he understood that he had to love people.
King understands that sacrifice is necessary for changes in society. Gandhi also believes in
sacrificing himself but differs in his beliefs. Gandhi states, I do believe that there is only a
choice between cowardice and violence He says that when he was being assaulted close to the
moment of death, I would advise violenceThus my eldest son asked me what he should have
donewhether he should have run away and seen me killed or whether he should have used his
physical force I told him it was his duty to defend me. (Gandhi). King understood that in
order to make a difference he as well had to suffer and risk being assaulted and beaten. Gandhi
understood as well that he and his followers had to suffer to make a change but the moment their
life was really in danger, then was violence necessary.
King expanded on Gandhis work. Even though Gandhis work was influenced by many
religions, such as Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam, King delved deeper into one specific
religion, Christianity, to expand his message. The letter includes many allusions to the bible,
including Kings explanation of nonviolence: [Nonviolence] was practiced superbly by the
early Christians, who were willing to face hungry lions and the excruciating pain of chopping
blocks before submitting to certain unjust laws of the Roman Empire (King). Using Christianity
allowed Kings message to be more accessible to the American public because it relied on what
western society deemed as moral. King also took ideas from Gandhi, such as the leaders
insistence on truth mantra and the law of suffering, and created a series of steps for his
movement (Gandhi). The steps Dr. King added were as follows: collection of the facts to
determine whether injustices are alive, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action (King).
The leader writes that all of these steps were used in the Birmingham protests. He remarks on the
suffering that took place, similar to the law of suffering, and the insistence of truth and justice
that he and his protestors are fighting for. Therefore, King expands on Gandhis philosophies
immensely.
Martin Luther King and Gandhi were freedom fighters. They were tired of the way their
people were being treated and they sought to do something about it. Martin Luther King Jrs civil
battle was influenced by Gandhis passive resistance work. King agreed with his work by
motive, expanded his religion only to Gandhis work and even strayed from his work by showing
the full sacrifice he was willing to make for his cause.

Work Cited
King, Martin Luther ,Jr. Letter from Birmingham Jail. The Presence of Others Andrea A.
Lunsford 2008
Gandhi, Mahatma Law of Suffering. The Theory and Practice of Passive Resistance