What does the term “civil disobedience” refer to?

The term "civil disobedience" specifically refers to the active, nonviolent refusal to obey certain laws, demands, or commands of a government or occupying power, with the intent of highlighting perceived injustices within those laws. This form of protest is characterized by its intention to address moral or ethical concerns about the law, rather than an outright rejection of lawfulness.

Civil disobedience aims to challenge and bring attention to laws that are considered unjust, often through peaceful resistance and public demonstration. Historical examples include the actions of figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., who utilized this form of protest to advocate for social change in a nonviolent manner.

While other options may represent forms of protest or civic engagement, they do not encapsulate the core meaning of civil disobedience, which is focused on the refusal to comply with specific laws as a means of resistance against perceived injustice.