Henry David Thoreau's 'On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience'

Thoreau painstakingly reminds the individual of the universal principle that is all people, regardless of race, color or beliefs, deserve to live lives free from the tyranny of oppression and he who does not help grant this freedom to those oppressed, is equally as damned as he who enforced it. Thoreau expanded on this idea, “There are thousands who are in opinion opposed to slavery and to the war, who yet in effect do nothing to put an end to them…they hesitate, and they regret, and sometimes they petition; but they do nothing in earnest, and with effect.” Clearly, Thoreau’s insistence is that rebuking evil is a much a moral obligation as is praising the good. In fact, he insisted, “If one honest man, ceasing to hold slaves, were actually to withdraw from this copartnership, and be locked up in the country jail therefore, it would be the abolition of slavery in America.” Such a drastic and frank statement from Thoreau only proves how steadfast he was in his beliefs that the individual could bring forth great change. Every functioning member of society deserves the chance to make a compelling difference in the lives of those around them, regardless of factors such as race. For it is those who do not protest who aid in the condemnation.

In “Civil Disobedience”, Henry David Thoreau presents the idea that our current government is no longer serving the people and the only way we can work to improve it is through civil disobedience. Thoreau begins by explaining his discontentment with the American government. He states “that [a person] cannot without disgrace be associated with [the American government]. I cannot for an instant recognize that political organization as my government which is the slave’s government also” (1). Thoreau is saying that he is ashamed of the American government and will not associate with a government that permits slavery. He goes on to say, the ways that the State has provided to change the law “take too much time, and a man’s life will be gone...It

In his essay, Henry David Thoreau, renown thinker, a writer and the creator of “Civil Disobedience, Thoreau challenges the morals of people during his time. He states, “those who call themselves abolitionists should at once effectually withdraw their support … from the government of Massachusetts” (Thoreau 378). He stated this because the state of Massachusetts had slaves at the time and the abolitionist knew the government was corrupt.

In Henry David Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience, he is writing to the American people. He is trying to spark a desire for change, for people to oppose their government without actions. He uses this work to criticize the American institution of slavery as well as the Mexican-American War. Thoreau is attempting to convey the importance of listening to one’s conscience over the laws, believing that it is more important to do what they feel is right rather than listen to the laws given by the majority. Thoreau feels that people should protest against their government, but not using violent actions. He is trying to persuade the people to voice their opinions and break the chain of majority rule. Thoreau is writing during the time of the war between the United States and Mexico, which took place between 1846 and 1848. He writes to oppose the government’s actions and policies during this time period. He refused to pay a tax that would support the war and was imprisoned for a day. Thoreau uses ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade his audience to agree with his view of the American government and to voice their oppositions.

In “Civil Disobedience”, Thoreau begins the essay using logos and ends the essay using pathos by giving personal examples of why men should follow their consciences rather than laws that do not support their moral beliefs. In the second part of this essay, Thoreau states “I have paid no poll-tax for six years. I was put into a jail once on this account”(Thoreau). After establishing with reason and logic that government should support citizens, rather than citizens supporting the government, Thoreau gives an example of how he refused to pay taxes to a government that allowed slavery. By showing that he was willing to go to jail, Thoreau builds his credibility because he takes action in accordance with his beliefs instead of just writing them.

Thoreau's Civil Disobedience talks about politics, government and the issues concerning these areas today. "Government is best which governs least." This motto means that the government should not have complete power over the people. The people's opinion is what matters the most. Individualism is stressed throughout his writing. To stand up for what you believe in and not bend backwards for the government is necessary. He speaks of Slavery and the war in Mexico and how is must be put to a stop. The people are responsible for this happening. Many people opposed these things yet did nothing to change it. Allowing yourself to be a part of injustice makes you a part of the negativity. Paying taxes to a corrupt government makes you

Thoreau questions society and essentially the core of its practicality, posing the question: Is the idea of a civil citizen possible without loosing ones’ principles? In his essay he articulates, “Unjust laws exist: shall we be content

Henry David Thoreau was an American philosopher known for his interest in politics; specifically raising awareness about the injustice committed by the American government. He’s the author of prominent works like Civil Disobedience and Slavery in Massachusetts, which set the setting for the United States at the time. Both of these works follow a common theme of perseverance through difficult times and the role of the self when choosing right from wrong. Thus, he was deeply engaged in the idea of individualism, suggesting that we are “men first and subject after”. His beliefs led him to refuse to pay taxes as an act of protest against the Mexican War; he was imprisoned for a night and this sparked in him the inspiration to write Civil

Thoreau was a transcendentalist, abolitionist, he was also against the government and was against war. Thomas Lyle Collins, one critic who was opposed to the war, ".uses Thoreau as a rationale for American isolationism and noninterventionism." In “Civil Disobedience” Thoreau called for a peaceful solution; non violent protest. This however changed with Thoreau’s later sympathies to John Brown and his violence in his writing titled “A Plea for Capitan Brown”. According to Donahue, “Thoreau’s reaction to Brown, then, is not a break from his individualistic political views, but and identification of such values in the figure of Brown. There are many contradictions in Thoreau’s writings, this is because his writings are a development in his political thinking. The political conflicts that were occurring during Thoreau’s life time also influenced his writing and political views. The Fugitive Slave Law of 1851 increased the outrage of many Northern Abolitionists including Thoreau. This influenced the political views in Thoreau’s “Slavery in Massachusetts” (1854). Thoreau’s political views influenced many of his

The word “slave” indicates man’s bondage to labor in his monetary-dominated society. Thoreau truly believed he was more free than any other man who partook in the community ruled by an “unjust government,” for he deemed them slaves; he refused to “pay one copper penny” to a government that supported slavery and unjustifiably initiated war on an innocuous country (1.60). This defiant diction in his refusal to pay even a single cent of his taxes reinforces his argument. Conversely, in Civil Disobedience, Thoreau’s declaration that “all men recognize the right of revolution when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great” doesn’t communicate his thoughts as vividly as his diction in The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail (5). There is no resistant diction; he simply states that men have the right to rebel. In the play, Thoreau’s argument against paying taxes encourages citizens to “sign off from the government” to condemn its immoral actions (1.60). The action “sign off” has an unsatisfied connotation of rebellion and implies the inclination to disobey the government. Thoreau evokes a feeling of urgency to secede from society that

Henry David Thoreau was a very influential writer in the 1800s and still is today. Thoreau was one of America’s “greats” when it came to early American literature. Henry David Thoreau wrote one of the most influential essays entitled Civil Disobedience. This essay was Thoreau’s political statement, it outlined his views on non violent resistance. Civil Disobedience was written during the Mexican War. The Mexican War was a conflict between Mexico and America that was caused by a dispute over the boundary between Texas and Mexico, as well as by Mexico 's refusal to discuss selling California and New Mexico to the United States. Thoreau and many other Americans strongly objected to the war and protested by not paying taxes. During this time, Thoreau wrote Civil Disobedience urging people to resist government policies with which they disagree. Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience has influenced many Americans over the years.

Thoreau wrote that people must be willing to go to jail if they want to change a law by disobeying the law. Thoreau went to jail instead of paying for his taxes because he believed the government used the money for unjust things. This is how Henry Thoreau thinks people can change unjust laws. He thought that if people willingly would to go to jail and quit their jobs, then the revolution will take a place and reform will come. Thoreau was willing to go to jail to change unjust laws because of his conscience.

This section is meant to drive out complacency and stimulate a compulsion to action, because Thoreau recognized that no great change has ever come about because people were indifferent to it, change is brought upon through adamant devotion to the cause, the dedication of people who believe that a world without change is an unjust world not worth living in. Too many people are satisfied giving the bare minimum effort, then making a show of patting each other on the back for making any effort at all, or worse, simply acting indifferent to the injustices around them as long as they are not overly inconvenienced by them. Therefore this response is meant to be a rallying cry for the revolution that is abolition by saying “we are drawing a line, you are either with us or against us. Choose wisely.” The argument proposed by Thoreau in this section is one of the ones that is highly applicable to the modern world, with issues like Black Lives Matter, civil rights for homosexuals, gender equality,

One of the more important criticisms Thoreau brought up was the institution of slavery in the South. Thoreau stated, “I cannot for an instant recognize that political organization as my government which is the slave’s government also". He wanted the reader to know that the act of owning and working slaves in the United States was the single most hypocritical things that had ever occurred in the history of the country, bearing in mind one of the main points in the Declaration of Independence was that “all men are created equal”. Thoreau encourages that,

He also says that if one disagrees with the law, they should remove themselves and get as far away as they can. In his essay, he states that he does not think that any reform in the government is possible. He continues by saying that petitioning and voting do not do anything for the common people. Henry David Thoreau uses his experiences in jail to effectively prove his points.