Jiashuo Hu
Institute of Philosophy, Ku Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
*Corresponding author: Jiashuo Hu
Abstract
This paper examines the complex role of violence within the practice of civil disobedience, challenging the traditional view that equates civility solely with non-violent protest. Civil disobedience is reframed as a multifaceted form of negotiation where persuasion supersedes coercion. Nevertheless, the necessity for a nuanced understanding of "violence" is recognized, acknowledging that certain non-coercive violent acts—like self-defense or symbolic actions—may be justifiable to highlight the seriousness of issues or to shield protestors. The core of the analysis addresses scenarios where the standard negotiation environment is undermined, often by authoritative forces. In such cases, the use of coercive violence to re-establish a platform for rational discourse is argued to be a right of the protester. By interrogating these dimensions, the paper aims to illuminate the delicate equilibrium between peaceful and forceful protest, advocating for continued scrutiny and conversation on the ethical implications of violence in civil resistance movements.
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How to cite this paper
Conditional Coercion: The Justification of Violence in Civil Disobedience Across Varied Situations
How to cite this paper: Jiashuo Hu. (2024) Conditional Coercion: The Justification of Violence in Civil Disobedience Across Varied Situations. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, 8(6), 1391-1396.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2024.06.014