Human beings have always been shown by nature to operate on an action first, then think later basis, especially when it comes to important political issues or of social revolts involving large populations or large groups of people. Unfortunately, this being our nature, the tendency seems to have always been violence. However, in the case of the subjects of Steve York's film A Force More Powerful, the path least chosen is that observed by the people of India, Nashville and South Africa, although they all have extremely different socio-political circumstances supporting the revolution, one unites them the similarity, the pursuit of nonviolent civil disobedience. “Nonviolent protest is the way to defeat oppression” (A Force More Powerful, 1999, India). These powerful words by Indian civil rights activist Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi open Steve York's documentary perfectly. The power observed in York's cases indicates that the true potential for change lies not in the power of muscle and strength, but in genuine faith in movement and the ability to pay with anything but blood. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Unlike coups or riots, civil disobedience in the form of nonviolent protest requires a much more meticulous planning process—the change it is expected to create cannot be seen in a day. York's documentary opens in India in 1930, at the dawn of Gandhi's march against the oppressive British salt tax. Gandhi sought to be an image of protest for the Indian people, and his famous “Salt March” was key to cementing himself in that image. The Salt March was a double-edged sword that the British had to deal with: either they arrested him for his efforts as a political figure and provoked mass protests across India by his followers, or they allowed him to continue, thus placing him above the law (A Force More Powerful, 1999, India). The brilliant strategies he used to protest British oppression, never laying a finger on anyone, no matter what happened to him or his followers, would ultimately lead to India's freedom in 1947. 1960s Nashville, al height of segregation in America, just like in many other parts of America at the time, blacks and whites had very little contact with each other and segregation was rampant everywhere from restaurants to parks. Needing action, Fisk University students and James Lawson plan a series of sit-ins at segregated "White's Only" restaurants throughout Nashville. Lawson knows Gandhi's teachings well and holds lessons for African-American students on how to protest peacefully and demonstrate in public without the risk of ruining the cause by resorting to beatings. However, Nashville's white community is far from interested in any of this. On February 27, 1960, students gather in six segregated restaurants, are greeted with hate speech, beatings, all kinds of assaults and finally arrests, waves of African American students follow the lead of each group that is arrested and continue scrolling until when restaurants close. No white person was ever hurt. As Nashville's white community grows increasingly frustrated with the students' efforts, the home of a student advocate is bombed. In response, Lawson and Fisk University students and three thousand supporters walk from the university to City Hall, in absolute silence. The mayor desegregates restaurants to appease protesters (A Force More Powerful, 1999, Nashville).Finally, York chooses to highlight the plight of South Africans during the final stages of apartheid. Since many black South Africans had already been victims of mass incarceration and murder under apartheid, people were desperate for change. The white-owned media did not report on the civil disobedience and riots that erupted from frustrated black South Africans (A Force More Powerful, 1999, South Africa). The revolt of young South Africans against legalized discrimination was proving fruitless. Much like the other two cases in York's film, South Africa sought a non-violent protest system. Leading it would be twenty-seven-year-old Mkhuseli Jack (A Force More Powerful, 1999, South Africa). The plan was to boycott white-owned grocery stores and crash the market. Black South Africans around the world joined the protest plan. The first of many boycotts began on July 15, 1987. The boycotts created massive civil unrest, as they began to bankrupt many stores. Contrary to other cases, angry South African protesters lost sight of the goal of non-violent protest and lashed out at civilian officials and soldiers, the entire movement would be threatened by these explosions. The boycotts would continue for nine weeks. In contrast to the experience of protesters in India and Nashville, South African protesters were met with great aggression and lethal force (A Force More Powerful, 1999, South Africa). The documentary serves to brilliantly compare three cases of non-violent civil disobedience. The makers of the film take aim at the fact that in each of the three examples of non-violent protest (India, Nashville, South Africa) a human being is always the symbol of the protest. They all needed a powerful figure to follow under. Furthermore, the three cases all use expertly planned and thoughtful strategies for their demonstrations. York's focus on the behind-the-scenes action of each civic protest group sheds light on the difficulties surrounding a social movement as large as the ones they were attempting to execute. The most similar systems strategy is based on finding two or more very similar social systems, typically “countries”. It is based on the matching and therefore on the comparison of two or more systems that share a whole series of similarities (political, social, demographic, etc.) but also differ in at least a couple of important aspects (Lim, 2005, pg.34) . The most similar systemic strategy is certainly implemented when comparing cases of civic protest in India, Nashville and South Africa. Each group implores Gandhi's teachings and, above all, at least attempts to remain totally peaceful during the demonstrations. While each group has particular circumstances that make them unique from each other, the big idea is mutually shared. While one could potentially argue that designing more diverse systems is the strategy used to compare these three cases, on the basis that each group's struggle took place decades apart, in completely different social and economic climates, oppressed for completely different reasons and involved governments that functioned with completely different leadership styles. The fact is that each group, despite the differences between each case, all use exactly the same style of protest. It is the realization that nonviolent protest has absolutely stood the test of time and, if done correctly, can achieve much more than senseless violence and murder can (Lim, 2005, p.41). Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get an essay.