What are the social and legal consequences for civil disobedience?

For many, Dr. King’s discussion and defense of civil disobedience is one of the letter’s most enduring attributes. Ultimately, he presents a model of civil disobedience closely aligned to both Thoreau’s and Gandhi’s. First in his philosophy is the idea that the individual has not only a right but also a responsibility to challenge unjust laws. Using his definition of an unjust law (one that degrades human dignity), Dr. King explains how the SCLC has responsibly acted to exhibit the shortcomings of segregation. And yet he gives equal attention to the “civil” part of the equation, insisting both that one ought to break unjust laws both non-violently and “lovingly” (176). He must be willing to serve his penalty for his transgression, and thereby show love and respect for the law overall. In the end, Dr. King’s treatise on civil disobedience conforms to his ultimate hope: that individual action can inspire and change people in pursuit of a world free of hatred.