Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyCivil Rights Strategies: Nonviolence vs. Self-Defense

Read the excerpt below and answer the question that follows.

"Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored."
—Martin Luther King Jr., "Letter from Birmingham Jail," 1963

Based on the excerpt, which of the following best describes the primary goal of nonviolent direct action?

  1. A
    To prioritize vocational training over political demonstrations.
  2. B
    To passively accept segregation laws in order to avoid public conflict.
  3. To create tension and force communities to negotiate.Answer
  4. D
    To encourage African Americans to emigrate to West Africa.

Answer

To create tension and force communities to negotiate.
The correct answer is correct because Martin Luther King Jr. explicitly states that the goal of nonviolent direct action is to 'create such a crisis and foster such a tension' that a community is forced to confront and negotiate the issue, demonstrating that it is an active, confrontational strategy rather than passive submission.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the provided text excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'Letter from Birmingham Jail.'
Identify King's definition of nonviolent direct action, which seeks to create crisis and foster tension.
Understanding the author's primary intent is crucial for answering reading-comprehension questions.
2
Compare the identified definition with the provided options.
Confirm that the option stating the goal is to create tension and force communities to negotiate aligns directly with the text's emphasis on forcing negotiation through tension.
To select the option that most accurately represents the author's argument.

Key Concept

Nonviolent direct action as an active, confrontational political strategy rather than passive submission.
Rate this question

Topics

Civil Rights Strategies: Nonviolence vs. Self-Defense

More questions from this topic