Project Gutenberg
1993-06-01
Public domain in the USA.
2751
Thoreau, Henry David
1817
1862
Thoreau, Henry D. (Henry David)
On the Duty of Civil Disobedience
Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Disobedience_(Thoreau)
Sameer Parekh
"On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau is a philosophical essay written in the mid-19th century. This influential work explores the relationship between the individual and the state, specifically advocating for civil disobedience as a form of protest against governmental injustice. Thoreau argues that individuals should not permit governments to overrule their consciences and moral beliefs. In the essay, Thoreau discusses various themes, including the nature of government, the responsibility of citizens to act according to their moral convictions, and the necessity of resisting unjust laws. He emphasizes that a government’s authority arises from the consent of the governed and critiques the complicity of society in perpetuating slavery and war. By sharing his own experiences, including his time in jail for refusing to pay a poll tax, Thoreau illustrates the importance of personal integrity and the moral imperative to act against injustice, even at a personal cost. His call to action has resonated through the ages, influencing later civil rights movements and thinkers who advocate for nonviolent resistance against oppressive systems. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 60.9 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
en
Civil disobedience
Government, Resistance to
HM
PS
Text
Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches
Category: American Literature
Category: Philosophy & Ethics
Category: Politics
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