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  • Essay / Comparison of the civil rights movement with the suffragette movement

    The suffragette movement started by British women aimed to fight for the right to vote between 1897 and 1918. And the civil rights movement in America led by Afro -Americans aimed to end racial segregation between 1950. and 1968. These two movements shared the same goal, obtaining equal rights, because the suffragettes fought for equal voting rights with men while the Blacks defend equal treatment with whites. However, compared to the Suffragette movement, the civil rights movement was more effective because of the methods used, the public responses, and the end results achieved. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayIn terms of method, the civil rights movement adopted a nonviolent method while the suffragette movement used militant methods. On the one hand, with regard to the law, behaving in accordance with the law is one of the important factors to demonstrate its effectiveness. According to Shippy, African Americans “secure their rights by calling attention to losses of equality without breaking the law.” For example, Montgomery Bus Boycott shows that African Americans fought for their rights by marching rather than taking illegal actions. Rather, as Riddell once said, led by Pankhurst's leadership in the suffragette movement, the attacks were aimed at terrorizing the government through threats and violence, which seriously broke the law (2018). Law is an organized means of consolidating society in an orderly environment and protecting the rights of people. Therefore, African Americans' compliance with the law is "impressive to good citizens of a free society" (Shippy, 2005), while breaking the law is intolerable due to the violation of the public's rights. . On the other hand, towards ethics, “attracting attention without compromising morality” is another element demonstrating the effectiveness of the civil rights movement (Shippy, 2005). Martin Luther King inspired the public by giving speeches in a moral manner to seek support. Kenneth once admired that “King and the movement are inspiring symbols for oppressed groups around the world” (2018). In fact, they could have mobilized against society through violent approaches, but they did not do so, because they had a moral standard in mind that reminded them not to destroy property or harm people. In contrast, in Britain, hundreds of women wandered the streets, screamed, smashed windows, slashed paintings and even blew up buildings, which was immoral because it hurt innocent people and damaged infrastructure. Therefore, in terms of law and morality, the civil rights movement is more effective than the suffragette movement in the methods used. When referring to public responses, the support from the government and ordinary people is a representation of the effectiveness of both movements. From a government perspective, for example, the U.S. government responded positively, taking related steps by desegregating schools, buses, and some public places to ensure equality for African Americans. Importantly, President Eisenhower sent federal troops to enable 9 black students to attend school. However, in Britain some suffragettes were arrested and imprisoned by the government as part of this movement, reflecting their negative reactions. Government actions are, to some extent, like an orientation of social norms, which give