Abstract

Throughout the history of 20th century democracies such as the United States, protest movements that encompassed both campaigning to spread awareness as well as breaking the law to highlight injustice have succeeded in overturning laws and securing legislation that has brought civil society closer to a state of justice. Prominent examples include the suffragist movement and civil rights campaigns. While these past movements often receive glowing praise both in popular media and in the literature, protest movements that are active in the present are often controversial. Although many political theorists and social commentators have justified breaking the law in the cause of justice, very few would argue that civil disobedience serves a function so important that its practice should constitute a duty of citizenship. This is despite the contributions protest movements have made to society that are widely recognized as essential.