Social Reform: Thoreau, Gandhi, And Nelson Man

In each selection Henry David Thoreau, Mohandas K. Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela reflect the spirit of optimism and individualism which led each of these men to contribute towards social reforms within their countries. In Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience”, he begins to speak of the Mexican-American war and how he feels paying taxes that support the war is unjust, therefore, he protests the payment and is placed in jail. Author Thoreau discusses that taking action to bring about social change is seen through a collective lens. In which he sees social reform as only possible when individuals band together, therefore the true success behind civil disobedience is only visible when people take action as one to achieve social reform. “If a thousand men were not to pay their tax bills this year, that would not be a violent measure, as it would be to pay them, this is, in fact, the definition of a peaceable revolution, if any such is possible” (Thoreau 236). Thoreau’s “peaceable revolution” of social reform happens when “all just men” take action
Gandhi wanted to create a change in his country so he and many others marched through the city towards the sea to protest British taxes on salt. The people of India would then extract the salt from the seawater instead. He wanted people to become unified in their action, and to see their interests as interlinked with others. In his speech, Gandhi argues that his task” shall be done if I perish, and so do my colleagues” (Gandhi 235). Gandhi envisions social reform as individuals sacrificing themselves for a greater benefit. Gandhi repeatedly speaks about how he, as an individual is not as important as the cause of challenging an unjust authority. “The stream of civil resisters will flow unbroken” when people take action together only when people yield to a larger cause that encompasses more than their own interests (Gandhi