What are the main points in civil disobedience?

In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau’s basic premise is that a higher law than civil law demands the obedience of the individual. Human law and government are subordinate. In cases where the two are at odds with one another, the individual must follow his conscience and, if necessary, disregard human law.

What is Thoreau’s vision for how the individual relates to society?

Thoreau argues that the individual is a higher power than the State and envisions a post-democratic State that will be just to all men. Thoreau’s vision for government is one that is libertarian in nature, one that allows the individual complete freedom and choice in his or her actions.

How does Thoreau understand the moral distinction between failing to prevent an injustice and actually causing an injustice?

Thoreau sees a moral distinction between failing to prevent an injustice and actually causing an injustice. All that can be asked of a person is that he not dirty his own hands with injustice. Once this requirement is fulfilled, each individual should decide for himself what to do with his life.

Why is Civil Disobedience important?

Civil disobedience is an important part of a democratic country because it is one of the driving factors that allow individuals to exercise their rights to free speech and speak up against an unfair and unjust government and its laws.

What Thoreau thinks about jail?

His experience in jail did not hurt his spirit: “I saw that, if there was a wall of stone between me and my townsmen, there was a still more difficult one to break through, before they could get to be as free as I was.” Since the State couldn’t reach his essential self, they decided to punish his body.

Why did Thoreau write Civil Disobedience?

Thoreau wrote Civil Disobedience to justify not paying his taxes, for which he was put in jail. He refused to pay his taxes to protest two injustices he believed were perpetrated by the United States government: slavery and the war against Mexico.

What is the main idea of civil disobedience?

In 1849, Henry David Thoreau established the idea of “civil disobedience. ” In his paper “Civil Disobedience,” Thoreau encourages the reader to recognize when the government is doing something unjust and wrongful to the people.

What was Thoreau talking about in civil disobedience?

Henry David Thoreau wrote his well-known essay “Civil Disobedience” to explain his protest against slavery and the Mexican-American War. Thoreau explains that individual citizens have a responsibility to work against injustices created or carried out by the government.

What are the characteristics of civil disobedience?

Civil disobedience, also called passive resistance, refusal to obey the demands or commands of a government or occupying power, without resorting to violence or active measures of opposition; its usual purpose is to force concessions from the government or occupying power.

Why did Thoreau write “civil disobedience”?

Thoreau wrote Civil Disobedience in 1849. It argues the superiority of the individual conscience over acquiescence to government. Thoreau was inspired to write in response to slavery and the Mexican-American war. He believed that people could not be made agents of injustice if they were governed by their own consciences.