Individuals as Mechanisms of Social/Governmental Change
Introduction
Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela are recognized for their exemplary work in the fight against social injustices. During his leadership, King later became among the core six organizers of the famous 1963 visit to Washington, with the demands of political and economic justice for all the Americans. In addition, he played an important influence in the religious social change is the split of Germany and Europe from the rest of the world to the Catholics and protestant countries. On the other hand, Nelson Mandela is widely known in the fight against apartheid and social injustices in South Africa. He is widely recognized for his constant fight for global peace and against social injustices.
Martin Luther king social changes
- a) Civil rights legislations. During his leadership, King later became among the core six organizers of the famous 1963 visit to Washington, with the demands of political and economic justice for all the Americans (Jackson & King, 2007). This visit led to the passage of the civil rights legislations. It also opened new avenues for Martin to advocate for other human rights causes like the poor working conditions of the blacks. Until the mid 20th century, the African Americans were supposed to use separate public facilities, as the more superior schools reserved for the whites. The accomplishments of the Montgomery campaign stimulated the civil rights activists to harness the moral authority and organize power of the black churches. The churches campaigned against the social segregation in southern cities such as Georgia, Alabama and Florida (Fairclough, 2001). President Lyndon Johnson signed the equal voting rights act into law in 1965. This act aimed at overcoming the legal barriers at the state, which prevented the African Americans from exercising their rights to vote, according to the 15th amendment of the United States constitution. This bill was passed into law with the presence of Martin Luther King and other civil rights activists. This act banned the use of literacy tests for the federal oversight, voter registration areas with less registered voters.
- b) Martin Luther King’s role influence in spiritual politics
Martin Luther was a Baptist Church Minister and the leader of an organization that helped to start and lead the southern Christian Leadership conference (SCLC). This preacher’s movement was remarkable as it stood against bombing, jailing and elimination plots to lead the struggles for civil rights. For example, the Black Power Movement that was formed after 1965, led by King and his associate ministers was the major force following the movement that defeated the social separation (Jackson & King, 2007). This movement continues up to date to fight against social and fiscal injustices. Irrespective of the variations in racial divides, King and his fellow ministers spoke to people of different faiths and to people of no faith. The teachings of martin Luther King are applicable universally. Martin Luther King also translated the New Testament bible to the German language, which has currently become the standard for contemporary German. He accomplished this with the assistance of the Gutenberg printing press, which was noteworthy in the spread of the gospel socially. His words acted as an orientation point for Nazi during the Holocaust incident, as he held high regards amongst the Germans.
Luther’s Political contribution
As a leader of Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Martin Luther King organized and participated in political rallies that were aimed at shedding light on the injustices that the African Americans were facing in across the country. Moreover, he maintained that he would not endorse a United States political candidate or party publicly. He advocated for the opinion that leaders should maintain a non- alignment position so that they are able to look at both sides objectively (Stayer, 2000). He also declared that both Democratic and Republican parties had weaknesses. He critiqued the parties’ stand on promoting racial equality. This critique was aimed at promoting change in the parties. He voted for John F. Kennedy privately since he believed he was the best; an indication that people should overlook some issues and vote for the leader who will consider the rights and needs of all citizens.
- ii) Nelson Mandela social changes
- a) Fight against apartheid revolutionary: South Africa has a long history of racism, with successive laws widening the gulf between the black majority and the white’s minority. Nelson Mandela worked with the Black Nationalist, to negotiations that led the country against apartheid system of ethnic segregation. This negotiation ushered peaceful evolution to majority rule. He stood firm taking his country from the acute discrimination of apartheid through democratic, with a Noble Peace Prize Award in 1993. Nelson Mandela was the first democratically elected president in South Africa in 1994, after the abolishment of apartheid. He ruled for four years, later resigning to pave way for president Mbeki in 1997 (Klotz, 1999). Nelson Mandela led the fight against apartheid system of leadership, enlightening the people about racism throughout the world. Black people were classified as different from the white people, with the white people considered as the superior race. Nelson Mandela also established the truth and Reconciliation commission that investigated the political violations. He also introduced many social and economic programs to improve the living standards of the South Africans black population. He also presided over the ratification of the new South African constitution, launching a strong fundamental government based on the majority rule.
- b) Champion of peace legacy: after leaving office, Nelson Mandela remained and advocate of peace and social justices across the globe. He established numerous organizations such as the Nelson Mandela Foundation and The Elders, which is a politically independent group of public figures committed to addressing global human problems. In 2003, Mandela became an advocate of AIDS awareness and treatment program, to fight against the culture of stigmatization and ignorance (Crwys-Williams, 2011). Nelson Mandela led revolutions that brought an end to apartheid and a global advocate for the human rights. He was a member of the African National Congress party since 1940 is, being the leader of both the peaceful protests and armed resistance against white minority oppressive regimes that divided South Africa (Harris, 2011). After his election, he formed a multiethnic government to oversee the country’s transition. Nelson Mandela’s commitment to the African National Congress grew stronger, with more campaigns for the unjust laws, travelling across the country to protest against discriminative policies. In 1955, Mandela with the help of Tambo opened the first South African law firm, to offer legal counsel for the individuals affected by apartheid legislation.
References
Jackson, T. F., & King, M. L. (2007). From civil rights to human rights: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the struggles for the realization economic justice. Univ. of Pennsylvania Press.
Fairclough, A. (2001). To Redeem the Soul of America: The Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Martin Luther King, Jr. Univ. of Georgia Press.
Stayer, J. M. (2000). Martin Luther, German Savior: German Evangelical Theological Facts and Interpretations of Luther, 1917-1933. McGill-Queen’s Press-MQUP.
Klotz, A. (1999). Norms in international relations: The struggle against apartheid. Cornell University Press.
Crwys-Williams, J. (Ed.). (2011). In the words of Nelson Mandela. Bloomsbury Publishing press.
Harris, V. (2011). Jacques Derrida meets Nelson Mandela: archival ethics at the endgame. Archival Science, 11(1-2), 113-124.