Civil Rights and The Great Depression

Civil Rights and The Great Depression

The civil rights movement that swept America in the 1930s led to a revolution that has been popularized by the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. King’s assassination was an indication of the intolerance towards blacks in their quest for equal treatment. The tragedy encouraged the human rights defenders leading to national discourses about the rights of all persons regardless of their skin color, persuasion, or ethnicity. Elements of the human rights violation, however, continued to persist in American society, including actions taken by President Hoover during the great depression. During this time, trade restrictions led to revenge actions from America’s trade partners, thus jeopardizing the livelihood of American farmers.  Through the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Americans expressed their frustration about unfair treatment based on color, creed, and persuasion, among other factors.

Thesis Statement: Martin Luther King’s assassination was a significant turning point in the human rights campaigns in America that persisted in society since the 1930s following the passage of trade laws in the Smoot-Hawley Act.

Martin Luther King envisioned America as a country where people would enjoy equal rights regardless of their racial religious or ideological differences. In his speech, “I Have a Dream,” King perceived America as a land where all men and women would enjoy equality regardless of their differences (Masnov 3). King opted to employ non-violence means to bring a change in society and, through such mechanisms, addressing the root cause of the problem (Irene 45).  His campaigns shaped led to a silent revolution that threatened the ruling regime. The death of Martin Luther King Jr. revealed a quest by the American people to pay the price for equality. Hoover’s decision to unilaterally impose trade restrictions were unnecessary as it worsened the state of the economy and violated the human rights of the farming fraternity..

The enactment of the Smoot-Hawley Act promoted the trade restrictions During the great depression. Before this legislation, the country was going through a recession that concerned President Roosevelt. President Hoover, in this regard, speeded up the passage of the law. The protectionist actions of the U.S. that led to the passing of trade restriction laws are believed to contribute significantly to the great depression (Siles-Brügge 538). The move was counterproductive as it diminished domestic economic performance. The consequence was a rise in the price of U.S. Imports, thus altering the balance between output and prices. American farmers suffered significant losses following this situation as trade partners imposed several non-trade barriers for American exports (Bettini 9). The retaliation from America’s trade partners further saw a reduction in the price of farm produce, a dwindling banking sector, and a considerable decline in money supply due to currency hoarding (Bettini 8). This move violated the rights of the ordinary people as they forfeited a right to livelihood. The self-protection approach of the American administration during the great depression, therefore, worsened the economic condition of the citizens and was akin to denial of their rights.

The great depression brought to the fore aspects of human rights violations as was shared before the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. King’s death was the ultimate sacrifice for the establishment of laws that safeguard the rights of all Americans regardless of their color, creed, or persuasion. Nevertheless, human rights violations have continued to persist through legislation. The passage of trade restriction laws by President Hoover compromised the livelihood of American farmers and violated their rights. The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. demonstrated a frustration of American society with human rights violations by the state.

Works Cited

Irene, Oseremen Felix. “Non-Violent Campaign and Social Change: Lessons from Liberia and Campaigns to Ban Landmine and Cluster Munitions.” International Journal of Peace Studies 21.1 2016. Pp 45-70

Bettini, Alberto. “Tariffs in the 1930s and the 21st century.” Masters Thesis.  2018. pp 1-68

Masnov, James M. “Martin Luther King, Jr.: Jeffersonian; Champion of Natural Law Philosophy.” PURE Insights 6.1. 2017: 5.

Siles-Brügge, Gabriel. “Explaining the resilience of free trade: The Smoot–Hawley myth and the crisis.” Review of International Political Economy 21.3 2014.pp.535-574.