Dr. King’s Philosophy of Non-Violence

DR. KING’S SIX PRINCIPLES OF NON-VIOLENCE:

  1. Non-violence is the way of life for courage people.
  2. Non-violence seeks to win friendships and understanding.
  3. Non-violence seeks to defeat injustice or evil, not people.
  4. Non-violence holds that unearned, voluntary suffering for a just cause can educate and transform people and societies.
  5. Non-violence chooses love instead of hate.
  6. Non-violence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.

SIX STEPS TOWARD NON-VIOLENCE SOCIAL CHANGE:

  1. INFORMATION GATHERING: To understand and articulate an issue, problem or injustice facing a person, community, or institution you must do research. You must investigate and gather all vital information from all sides of the argument or issue so as to increase your understanding of the problem. You must become an expert on your opponent’s position.
  2. EDUCATION: It is essential to inform others, including your opposition, about your issue. This minimizes misunderstandings and gains you support and sympathy.
  3. PERSONAL COMMITMENT: Daily check and affirm your faith in the philosophy and methods of nonviolence. Eliminate hidden motives and prepare yourself to accept suffering, if necessary, in your work for justice.
  4. DISCUSSION/NEGOTIATION: Using grace, humor and intelligence, confront the other party with a list of injustices and a plan for addressing and resolving these injustices. Look for what is positive in every action and statement the opposition makes. Do not seek to humiliate the opponent but to call forth the good in the opponent.
  5. DIRECT ACTION: These are actions taken when the opponent is unwilling to enter into, or remain in, discussion/negotiation. These actions impose a “creative tension” into the conflict, supplying moral pressure on your opponent to work with you in resolving the injustice.
  6. RECONCILIATION: Nonviolence seeks friendship and understanding with the opponent. Nonviolence does not seek to defeat the opponent. Nonviolence is directed against evil systems, forces, oppressive policies, unjust acts, but not against persons. Through reasoned compromise, both sides resolve the injustice with a plan of action. Each act of reconciliation is one step close to the ‘Beloved Community.‘

* See more at: https://thekingcenter.org/about-tkc/the-king-philosophy/