Resistance: Active vs. Passive Protesting for Injustice - Essay Sample

Introduction

Resistance is refusing to accept or comply with something that one is against. It can be in the form of nonviolence or by use of force. There are two forms of resistance; active and passive. Active resistance is the use of violence whether armed or not to fight against injustice that have been perceived for instance the Boston Tea Party and riots in Watts and other cities are examples of active resistance (Butler, 2016). On the other hand, passive resistance is a nonviolent manner of protesting against the legal government which could be in the form of peaceful demonstrations or matches, boycotts or refusing to comply with laws set by the ruling power.

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People believe that the only way they can receive justice is through the use of force or by nonviolent acts. These groups view themselves as resisting tyranny from the administrators who can range from civil disturbances to terrorism or guerilla warfare. The government views resistance as acts of terrorism as most attacks are targeted to the security forces or military. Resistance can be viewed in different aspects such as political, social, and economically.

Political Resistance

It is also known as resistant movement, and it is a planned effort by a part of the civil people of a country to withstand the legal government that disrupts its order and stability legally. It can be by use of violence or nonviolence depending on the form of resistance (Factor, Williams & Kawachi, 2013). Political resistance mainly calls for reform based movements that fight for equal recognition and protection under the law, for instance in America, the black Americans fight for this rights to improve their daily life through working within channels of the state and capital power.

Social Resistance

This is a social phenomenon in which exploited, disadvantaged and dominated people combat the dominating practices that have been constructed by national states, traditional cultures, social organizations, and institutions. The people aim to reconstruct their world without social injustices like abuse of power, inequality, and discrimination, etc. struggles usually occur against the domineering power since dominance requires continuous renewal, recreation, defending and modification (Hands, 2011). Also, it receives continuous resistance, alterations, it's limited and is challenges through external pressures.

Economic Resistance

This is a way that the economy uses to besiege sanctions being experienced in a country. It may involve raising resilience through substituting local inputs with imports, increasing barter trade, and smuggling goods. It can serve as an opportunity for a country receiving such pressures (Hands, 2011). Economic resistance is as a result of globalization of markets with the help of the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank.

Implications of Resistance

Social Injustices

These include racial discrimination, inequality, abuse of power, ethnicity, unfair labor practices, etc. these social injustices are as a result of the resistance from the laws of the government. The people in the resistance movement are likely the ones to experience them especially those who are fighting for their rights within the government.

Disruptive Environment

People resist mainly because they do not want change and use either active or passive resistance; it may lead to disruptive environments. The riots, demonstrations either forceful or peaceful may lead to fights, shootings since the military forces are sent to stop these riots. Destruction of property, loss of lives or threats to lives.

Poor Economic Growth

Resistance inflates the economy since it affects import and export of goods, the global market increases dependence to the aid funds by the International monetary fund or word bank thus increasing debts owned by countries, etc. this thus injures the economy since barter trade, industrialization and substitution of goods is affected.

Fulfilling Demands of the Resistance

Through resistance, the people can acquire what they were in resistance of. If it is equal rights or protection of rights for its citizens and the government accepts them then the resistance was worthwhile (Ramadan, 2017). In social settings may be for employees to riot or demonstrate for increment in wages and their employers can consider it and grant their pleas.

Conclusion

In conclusion, resistance being the refusal to comply with something that one is against shows that it is rampant in our societies. There are two forms of resistance; active and passive resistance which involve the use of force and nonviolent acts respectively. Resistance can be political, social or economic. It has several implications either positive or negative including; social injustices, disruptive environments, poor economic growth and fulfilling demands of those in resistance.

References

Butler, J. (2016). Vulnerability in Resistance: Rethinking Vulnerability and Resistance. bibacc.org

Factor, R., Williams, D., Kawachi, I. (2013). Social resistance Framework for Understanding High risk Behavior among Non-dominant Minorities. ajphapublications.org.

Hands, J. (2011). @ is for Activism, Dissent, Resistance, and Rebellion in a Digital Culture. Pluto Press.

Ramadan, T. (2017). Economic resistance. https://tariqramadan.com/english/economic-resistance/