Do the Ends Justify the Means?

Do the Ends Justify the Means?

When a society starts to rally against the government many choices have to be made across the nation, often instantaneously, forming the collective conscious of their society during their revolution.

This collective conscious determines the degree to which violence is involved in the revolution.

Often when people look back on revolutions, they are shocked at the violence. But what amount is okay? And what amount is necessary?

French Revolution

When: 1789-1799

Where:

Immediate and Fundamental Events Leading to the Revolution: Storming of Bastille, Economic crisis/dept, bread shortages, heavy taxes on the poor, Austrian Queen, poor monarchy/ruling

Opposing Forces: The French Monarchy versus the National assembly and revolutionaries in France

Result: Dead monarchy, creation of the French Republic, Napoleon as a the emperor/dictator for the French people

Egyptian Revolution

How much violence is justified when overthrowing an unjust system?

When: Jan-Feb 2011

Where:

Violence Justified?:

+Easier if not necessary to create a republic if the monarchy is dead. To make the revolution more complete and effective, many argued the killing of anti-revolutionaries was crucial

-It was not okay for the queen's son to be beaten and killed because of his lineage, nor when people were put on the guillotine because of their relatives actions or because they had nonviolent disagrences with the revolution

Immediate and Fundamental Events Leading up to the Revolution: Election fraud, high unemployment rates, Political censorship, food price inflation, low minimum wage

Opposing Forces: Corrupt government versus the people of Egypt

Result: Many political practices dissolved, and people resigned, as well as the trial of the people formerly in government, and a rewriting of their constitution

Violence Justified?: 846+ protesters where murdered unjustly when protests got violent, when they should have only been arrested

American Revolution

Historical Examples

Killing under the

cloak of war

is no different than

murder

-Einstein

When: 1775-1783

Where:

Immediate and Fundamental Events Leading up to the Revolution: Taxation without Representation, Boston Tea Party,

Syrian Revolution

Contemporary Examples

In a revolution, as in a novel,

the most difficult part to invent

is the end

-Alexis de Tocqueville

Opposing Forces: George III King of Britain, and the British economy that benefited from the taxation on colony goods, versus the citizens of the 13 colonies

When: 2011-Present

Where:

Immediate and Fundamental Events Leading up to the Revolution: Dictator government/corruption, poor human rights laws, Chemical warfare on citizens

Result: American Independence from Britain

Opposing Forces: Corrupt government versus the people of Syria

Result: Ongoing; estimated 100,000 dead

Violence Justified?:

+War against the British was arguably necessary to become their own nation, as Britain didn't want to just give up its colonies which created so much monetary wealth.

-Boston Massacre - 5 civilians killed by British that were enforcing taxation laws: taunting the British but not worthy for death (First death of rev.). When British/Americans shot prisoners of war or surrendering enemies.

Violence Justified?: Unneeded violence resulting in the deaths of many people and children

~Syria's Wikipedia page

Haitian Revolution

When: 1791-1804

Where:

Immediate and Fundamental Events Leading up to the Revolution: Slavery of Afrians on the French colony

Opposing Forces: French colonists versus their African slaves

Result: Only slave revolt that led to the founding of a state

Violence Justified?:

+Hard if not impossible to overthrow a government already in place without violence

-Slaves were excessively violent in their fight to have their own state and freedoms/rights, often raping, torturing, and mutilating their former captors, which wasn't a necessary or justified violence that was needed to establish their own rule

Yemeni Revolution

When: 2011-2012

Where:

Immediate and Fundamental Events Leading up to Revolution: Unemployment, poor economy, political corruption, proposed amendments to their constitution

Opposing Forces: Their prime minister, Mujawar, versus the wants of the people

Result: Resignation of Prime Minister and MPs, reformation of military forces

Violence Justified?: The Yemeni revolution resulted in the unjustified deaths of many protesters and civilians who should have been jailed or shot with rubber bullets when the protests got violent

When does Violence cross the line?

-When civilians/bystanders are harmed

-When people are killed in a savage way or mutilated

-When children are harmed

-When violet acts take away people's dignity/rights