From the Summit of the Moral High Ground

Historical Archive This article is preserved as part of the historical record of this blog. It reflects the author's views at the time of publication. The content has not been substantively altered, although the HTML, accessibility and formatting have been updated to meet modern web standards. Participation in civil disobedience is an individual act with consequences for the individual. When Gandhi composed the principles of Satyagraha ("insistence on truth"), or civil disobedience, they included assertions of individual responsibility, including: " do not make your participation conditional on your comrades taking care of your dependants while you are engaging in the campaign or are in prison; do not expect them to provide such support ". It is this realisation—that you act as an individual, accept the consequences of your actions and act only in a way which preserves your self-respect—which differentiates civil disobedience from mob rule. ...