Get help now
  • Pages 2
  • Words 396
  • Views 441
  • Download

    Cite

    Barney
    Verified writer
    Rating
    • rating star
    • rating star
    • rating star
    • rating star
    • rating star
    • 5/5
    Delivery result 3 hours
    Customers reviews 204
    Hire Writer
    +123 relevant experts are online

    Related Topics

    Thoreau civil disobedience Essay

    Academic anxiety?

    Get original paper in 3 hours and nail the task

    Get help now

    124 experts online

    In “Civil Disobedience”, why does Thoreau refuse to pay his poll tax?In Thoreau’s essay “Resistance to Civil Government”, Henry David Thoreau outlines a utopian society in which each individual would be responsible for governing himself. His opposition to a centralized government is an effort to disassociate with the American government, which at the time was supporting slavery and unjustly invading Mexico. While the individual rule would work well for Thoreau who is a man of conscience, it does not account for the immoral, dishonest or overly ambitious people in the nation. “Resistance to Civil Government” is a work of political philosophy where Thoreau lays out a plan for the way he believes the American government and society should be structured.

    The essay discusses the relation between the individual and society. This essay acts as a plea for individuals to follow their conscience when civil law causes a conflict. Thoreau calls for a conscious rebellion to bring about a radical change in the American constitution; a revolution against the American government. This notion of peaceable revolution is the moral center of this essay. By refusing to pay taxes he is not objecting the taxes specific use, he is refusing allegiance to the state as a whole.

    Thoreau does not advocate complete defiance of democracy with his protest as he willingly accepts the consequences of breaking the law. Because Thoreau chooses his integrity over compliance he feels freer in jail than the people outside who follow the law like sheep rather than thinking and acting for themselves. He accepts the consequence of imprisonment for not paying his lawful tax, believing that by being imprisoned he is forcing the government to consider whether he is in the right by practicing civil disobedience. Thoreau wishes to be separate from the American government because it supports slavery. Thoreau chastises the government. Thoreau pictures a utopian society where a person’s conscience is a higher rule than that of the law.

    In Thoreau’s utopia, government would only have the rights the individual allows it to possess, however a person under this government could deny the right to enforce consequences to that government, leaving him free to partake in evil or immoral actions without repercussions. Thoreau seems to believe that if people are given the chance to govern their lives by their conscience they would always do what is right by their conscience. .

    This essay was written by a fellow student. You may use it as a guide or sample for writing your own paper, but remember to cite it correctly. Don’t submit it as your own as it will be considered plagiarism.

    Need custom essay sample written special for your assignment?

    Choose skilled expert on your subject and get original paper with free plagiarism report

    Order custom paper Without paying upfront

    Thoreau civil disobedience Essay. (2019, Mar 27). Retrieved from https://artscolumbia.org/thoreau-civil-disobedience-essay-107387/

    We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy

    Hi, my name is Amy 👋

    In case you can't find a relevant example, our professional writers are ready to help you write a unique paper. Just talk to our smart assistant Amy and she'll connect you with the best match.

    Get help with your paper