How have Gandhi’s ideas influenced Dr. King’s ideas as he expresses them in his “Letter”?
Answer with your ideas supported by cited examples from each of the author’s essays. Cite the page numbers of supporting examples from the readings in MLA format in parentheses. It is evident that Gandhi’s ideas on morality influences Dr. Kings philosophy of a non-violent civil disobedience. The Indian thinkers philosophy of non-violence is closely related to his conception of morality .On the other side, Dr Kings understanding of concept of civil disobedience is concerned with his interpretation of social morality. since Gandhi’s ideas on morality emerged before Dr Kings philosophy behind the civil rights movement, it is safe to say that Gandhi influenced Dr Kings most prominent political ideas. for example, both Gandhi’s and Dr King’s ideas were formed in a subversive perspective on political and social reality.Both of them aimed to act within their respective communities.Gandhi made several comments on the relationship between moral progress and economic progress.Namely,,this theorist and civil rights activist saw a connection between social morality and economic progress. He claimed that the imminent economic progress of any society strongly and negatively affects its morality and that, ” their moral growth has become stunted”( Austin and Austin 561). This means that members of an economically progressive society lack several moral principles. On the other side, Dr King addressed the public justice system that does not recognize the concept of righteousness because justice ” must be demanded by the oppressed”(Austin and Austin 426). The very concept is connected to the concept of justice, but it proves to be more important that the latter, since Gandhi saw righteousness as a moral virtue that both public systems of justice and individuals should posses. Dr Kings emphasis on finding righteousness within the context of public justice systems revolves around the concept of social morality. He did not think that individuals should seek justice through conventional means such as public courts,since the majority of them were prejudiced towards African Americans and other members of marginalized communities. He stressed the importance of individual subversive engagement in the political system that is economically, in order to transform certain irregularities and deform existing discriminatory attitudes. The engagement itself is one example of moral behavior.

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