Who is known for advocating for civil disobedience and nonviolent protest methods?

The advocacy for civil disobedience and nonviolent protest methods is most prominently associated with Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau articulated his philosophy through his essay "Civil Disobedience," published in 1849, where he argued that individuals have a moral duty to resist unjust laws and government actions. He believed in the power of individual conscience over the dictates of the state, emphasizing that nonviolent resistance is a legitimate form of protest against governmental policies that one deems immoral or unjust.

Mahatma Gandhi, while also a key figure in advocating for nonviolent resistance, built upon Thoreau's ideas within the context of the Indian independence movement. Gandhi's principles of Satyagraha focused on nonviolent protest but were inspired by various global philosophies, including those of Thoreau. Similarly, Martin Luther King Jr. embraced nonviolence in his civil rights activism, directly influenced by Gandhi, but he operated primarily in the mid-20th century, which came after Thoreau’s formulation of civil disobedience. Nelson Mandela employed both peaceful protests and armed resistance in his fight against apartheid, which diverges from the strict adherence to nonviolent methods.

Thus, while multiple figures are notable for their contributions to civil disobedience and