| Author |
Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862 |
| Title |
On the Duty of Civil Disobedience
|
| Credits |
Sameer Parekh
|
| Summary |
"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.)
|
| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
HM: Social sciences: Sociology
|
| LoC Class |
PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
|
| Subject |
Civil disobedience
|
| Subject |
Government, Resistance to
|
| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
71 |
| Release Date |
Jun 1, 1993 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Feb 14, 2021 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
2213 downloads in the last 30 days. |
|
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!
|
