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| Rights
Consciousness
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Basically, 1960s were marked by the unprecedented growth
of the civil rights movement in the US which actually changed
the country completely. In fact, until this period the democracy
in the US was quite limited and, if possible to say one-sided,
so that only limited groups of people could really benefit
from democracy while vast masses of oppressed people remained
deprived of any real opportunity to enjoy civil rights and
democratic freedoms.
In fact, such an unexpected progress of the civil rights movement
in the US in 1960s seems to be a bit strange, especially in
the context of three previous decades of stagnation and agony
of democracy. Obviously there are several reasons explaining
such a boom after three years of weakness and stagnation of
civil rights movement.
First of all, it should be said that starting from late 1920s
till early 1960s the US suffered from greatest socio-economic
and political disasters in its history which naturally affected
the progress of the civil rights movement. To put it more
precisely, the late 1920s were characterised as the period
of the profound economic crisis which gradually transformed
in the Great Depression which was the most serious socio-economic
crisis the US have ever suffered from. In such a situation,
the concerns of the whole nation were focused on the survival
of national economy at large, and each individual in particular.
As a result, people were rather focused on the problem of
their financial stability than in civil rights which were
regularly oppressed, though this oppression of civil rights
concerned not all Americans but only oppressed minority. Mainly
it was African-American and other non-white population in
the US that suffered the most from the domination and privileged
position of white population. However, it is worthy of mention
that the position of women was also quite difficult and they
were also deprived of certain rights and opportunities and
their position was not totally equal to the position of men
at all. As a result, the life of American society was controlled
by white male elite while the rest of the society was oppressed.
Unfortunately, the following economic recovering did not improve
the situation a lot for the World War II had broken out soon
and the US faced a new serious problem, the problem of national
security and even survival as an independent state. Naturally,
in such a situation the whole nation had to focus on the victory
of American arms in the World War II. At the same time, this
was a very important period where the civil right movement
had really started to grow in power since practically everywhere
females started to substituted males many of which were recruited
to American army and left the US. In such a way, females proved
to the society, and primarily to themselves that they are
equal to males.
Nonetheless, the victory in the World War II did not finally
brought the breakthrough in the progress of the civil rights
movement. Instead, the country was overwhelmed by practically
paranoid fear of the ‘red threat’ or the threat
of the communist revolt. As a result, the whole country launched
the new struggle against the invisible threat from the internal
enemy. Naturally, in such a situation any civil right movement
was severely oppressed and was considered as dangerous to
national interests of the state.
However, the repressions could not last forever since the
USA was still a democratic country though this democracy was
far from perfect. Basically, Americans grew tired of constant
struggle against enemies they have never actually seen and
the oppression of civil rights made Americans realized that
such form of democracy was not less dangerous than the communist
threat. The country was also tired of the permanent state
of war people had to live in.
At the same time, such dissatisfaction with the current situation
in the US in the late 1950s – early 1960s was enforced
by the appearance of prominent figures struggling for civil
rights such as Martin Luther King and his followers, including
Malcolm X. Moreover, the assassination of King was probably
the most starting point of the open protest of all Americans
conscious of the importance of civil rights since they could
not live in the country where people could be assassinated
only because they are of different race, or political views.
The similar effect probably had the assassination of J.F.
Kennedy.
Finally, it should be said that along with prominent leaders
of the civil rights movement, Americans also got very important
experience of struggle for their rights and freedom. Moreover,
many Americans saw death with their own eyes and were not
afraid of participating in the movements which aimed at changing
the existing order for they have been doing this for years
taking part in wars.
Thus, the development of civil rights consciousness was predetermined
by the growing dissatisfaction of American population with
the current situation in the country concerning civil rights,
acquisition of historical experience of struggle for freedom,
growing consciousness in their own power, and, finally, Americans
had got leaders that showed them the way to better and really
democratic life.
Bibliography:
1. Gideon, Trumpet. New York: Routlede, 1996.
2. Lewis and Patterson, Major Problems in American History.
New York: Random House, 1998.
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