Did Martin Luther King Jr have a better philosophy than Malcolm X?
Martin Luther King Jr was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta Gorgia, he passed an entrance exam to Morehouse University at the age of 15 and studied the beliefs and non-violent tactics of Mahatma Ghandhi.
Was Martin Luther King Jr’s Philosophy more effective than Malcolm X’s philosophy?
Martin Luther King Jr had the better philosophy because of his economic strategy to slowly achieve racial equality, his ideas on why people should take a non-violent stance as a method of protest, and his drive and dream of better more equal society and education.
The first reason Martin Luther King Jr had a great philosophy is because of his economic strategy to slowly achieve racial equality
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Basic to the philosophy of nonviolence is the refusal to cooperate with evil. There is nothing quite so effective as a refusal to cooperate economically with the forces and institutions which perpetuate evil in our communities.” (Martin Luther King Jr’s “Nonviolence: The Only Road to Freedom” Document F)
This supports the claim that Martin Luther King Jr didn’t preach violence, only retaliation. By attacking the economy but not attacking people or communities.
The second reason Martin Luther King Jr had a great philosophy is because of his opinion on why it was not a good idea to fight back.
In Document L it provides another quote from Martin Luther King Jr saying “Even the extremist leaders who preach revolution are invariably unwilling to lead what they know would certainly end in blood” (Martin Luther King Jr’s interview with Alex Haley Document L)
This document provides evidence by telling us that even the most extreme of leaders know that violence is not the way to freedom, because violence only leads to retaliation and violence.
The last reason Martin Luther King Jr had a great philosophy is because of his dream for a more equal society that judged people on character and not anything
In the essay named “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Junior, He uses many great approaches to many different problems faced in his time. The fact that he wants to use a nonviolent approach to solve these problems is not only an admirable thing to do but also the right thing to do. Instead of using violent means to make his points, he instead uses things such as sit-ins, marches, boycotts, and many other ways to peacefully make his point. This in turn breaks the cycle of hatred between the races at that time. If he had used other means, then the problem would have only escalated and gotten worse.
In his “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Dr. King professes his disappointment with the white moderates for calling him an extremist for his schemes. At first, in paragraph 27, King does not deny the fact-by using anaphora- that there are some Negros who “advocate violence”, but he also asserts that there are even more for “nonviolent protest”(King 28). In making this comment, King urges for people to look at his acts of nonviolent protesting . Indeed the insignificant amount of violence will be more looked upon than the nonviolence; however, there are numerous acts nonvilence that should surpass this. Additionally, in paragraph 31, King states how at first he despised the label but then “gained [...] satisfaction” from it.
Nonviolent resistance is one strategy that can be used in any movement or retaliation. In the 1960s, one man, named Martin Luther King, Jr. very much supported that idea. In his letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” King writes back to the eight clergymen as a response to their criticism towards his nonviolent movement and actions. Throughout his letter, King discusses how necessary his movement is, especially by using credibility, emotion, reasoning and various figurative language, and the effectiveness it can have towards social reform. Although all that content contained in the essay proved to be valuable to his argument, King’s three concluding paragraphs appeared to be more effectual because of how he ends the letter with a satirical
Two of the most significant individuals are Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. During the American civil rights movement. Although the two leaders had distinct ways of combating structural racism and injustice, King's theory ultimately prevails over Malcolm X's. The references discussed why King's perspective is superior to Malcolm X's, especially in terms of bringing about long-lasting change. The two leaders' approaches to nonviolence were one of their most significant distinctions.
In the pursuit of equality during the Civil Rights Movement, two main ideologies emerged: those of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. These two men’s philosophies are usually viewed as complete contradictories. Both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King hold the same end goal of rights for African Americans; however, their methods for achieving that goal differ. Malcolm maintained a more violent approach whereas King deemed that the best way to achieve equality was through nonviolent and peaceful practices. Additionally, Malcolm believed in the separatism of African American and white cultures, in contrast to King’s belief in the integration of black and white cultures.
used ethos to encourage African Americans to overcome oppression,Martin Luther King Jr knew that any violence would ruin their chance at freedom, if this get violent it makes African Americans look bad and they will never receive the things they have been asking for, the most ethical thing for Martin Luther King Jr to do was to warn African Americans not to become violent, and explain to them that he knows that they have a taste for freedom, but being violent will not help them, and that exactly what he did; “ Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plain of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy, which has engulfed the Negro community, must not lead us to a distrust of all white people.”
Thus, while both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were deeply principled in their beliefs about how to achieve civil rights, Malcolm X's philosophy was often seen as more radical and confrontational, while King's philosophy was seen as more pragmatic and strategic focused more on the fact of the matter than any instantaneous
It is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals. Both a practical and a moral answer to the Negro’s cry for justice, nonviolent direct action proved that it could win victories without losing wars, and so became the triumphant tactic of the Negro Revolution of 1963” (12). I believe that this paragraph is a perfect way to summarize what King discusses in his book. He emphasized the importance of nonviolence and his belief on it.
Martin Luther King Junior and Malcolm X were two leaders of their time that were committed to the struggle for civil rights and equality for black people. Despite their fight for the same struggle, they had different ideas about the best way to achieve these goals. Martin Luther King Junior believed that nonviolent protest methods were crucial in the pursuit of equality for all people in order to build a beloved community. King offers the best solution to the needs and problems of the black community over Malcolm X. Malcolm X advocated for violent protest methods whereas King’s means of non-violent resistance was the more effective way to bring about change all while promoting love and reconciliation against forces of evil. Martin Luther
and they need to fight. Nothing else is working so fighting is the only working option. Dr. King’s purpose to this speech is to get out the word that the people need to fight with nonviolence. “We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.” Martin Luther King is famous for fighting for equality using non violence.
MLK and Malcolm X both wanted equality but in different ways. Martin Luther King believed in nonviolence to end segregation. However, Malcolm X believed in segregation; where African Americans would govern themselves without bothering the whites. But which idea was better for society? Malcolm X’s philosophy offers a variety of solutions for
Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential leaders of his time and played a crucial role in the African-American Civil Rights movement. Luther was a charismatic leader who took a firm stand against the oppressive and racist regime of the United States (US), devoting much of his life towards uniting the segregated African-American community of the US. His efforts to consolidate and harmonise the US into one country for all is reflected in many of his writings and speeches spanning his career. As a leader of his people, King took the stand to take radical measures to overcome the false promises of the sovereign government that had been addressing the issues of racial segregation through unimplemented transparent laws that did nothing to change the grim realities of the society. Hence, King’s works always had the recurring theme of the unity and strength of combined willpower.
Martin Luther King’s views helped create a better environment for every race and I really think his political views and strategies were more efficient than Malcolm
In order to further prove that nonviolence is the way to stop racism and gain equality, Dr. King writes: “I'm grateful to God that, through the Negro church, the dimension of nonviolence entered our struggle. If this philosophy had not emerged, I am convinced that by now many streets of the South would be flowing with floods of blood” (). In this quote, Dr. King once again argues that non violence and peace are the best ways to stop the cycle of violence. The phrase “the dimension of nonviolence entered our struggle” shows that even though they are struggling, nonviolence can help them.
This reasoning is due to the fact that Martin Luther King Jr. was a confident educated man, who had a particularly versatile comprehension on how to achieve equal rights for African