Martin Luther King Jr once stated, “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” In this quote, he was invoking the principle of civil disobedience. He wasn't justifying breaking laws just because, but instead meant that the law is broken in the hope that people will come to understand that the law is unethical. Civil disobedience plays an important role in how our society has been shaped up to this point. This speech will define civil disobedience, describe civil disobedience in the United States and other countries. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay To begin, civil disobedience is the act of defying a law through ethics. This is an attempt to influence people to admit a rebellious point of view. Despite the fact that civil disobedience uses nonviolent tactics, it is larger than normal passive confrontation because it often takes active forms such as illegal street protests or harmonious property occupations. The appearance causes endless protests, numerous rebellions, riots and revolutions. These challenges arise as a result of an unjust ruling regime. Now that you know what civil disobedience is, I will inform you about civil disobedience in America. Throughout history, civil disobedience has played a crucial role in most recent social reforms in the United States. Most notable, the Boston Tea Party was a nonviolent protest against the British tax regime in 1773 involving residents of the Massachusetts colony and British merchant ships. The cargo contained tea from England, on which the colonist decided that they would not pay the exorbitant tea taxes, so they threw it overboard and into Boston Harbor. As a result, the British government imposed burdens on US citizens. They protested against this act which led to the War of Independence. Subsequently, the United States of America became an independent state. Furthermore, in London riots against the payment of taxes to all citizens regardless of their means of income led to civil disobedience in 1990. The presence of this act allowed the demonstrations to express their ideas against unjust laws and taxes. As a result, the government replaced that rule with the congressional tax, imposing a tax on the value of a home. Furthermore, in countries like India, citizens have protested against oppression by the ruling regime. Some individuals like Mahatma Gandhi from India have adopted civil disobedience and applied it to their principles and lives. He was often taken to prison, but he maintained the same fighting spirit. Gandhi's civil disobedience helped India gain freedom which led India to become a democratic country. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, civil disobedience is not a means of committing unjust defiance of the law, but challenging the status quo to spur social change. Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr are two individuals who fought for social changes in their communities. These individuals enabled other citizens to have a better life because they fought against oppression and recognized the essence of civil disobedience in a country. In short, civil disobedience is a driving force that pushes our government to reevaluate itself for the common good..