Civil Disobedience
Civil Disobedience
Civil disobedience is defined as the refusal to obey certain laws or governmental demands for the purpose of influencing legislation or government policy. It is characterized by the employment of nonviolent techniques such as boycotting, picketing, and nonpayment of taxes. Civil disobedience is a nonviolent act of protest, which is caused by a moral belief that a law is wrong or otherwise known as unconstitutional. In the nineteenth century, the American author Henry David Thoreau wrote “Civil Disobedience,” an important essay justifying such action which started the boycotting and other nonviolent actions. Civil disobedience was started by the American author Henry David Thoreau. Henry Thoreau established the modern theory behind the practice of civil disobedience in his essay, “Civil Disobedience,” originally titled “Resistance to Civil Government,” which was published in 1849. The idea behind this essay was that of self-reliance, and how one is in morally good standing as long as one can “get off another man’s back.” The essay also stated that someone should not have to physically fight the government, but one must not support it. Civil disobedience can also be distinguished from other active forms of protest, such as rioting because of its passivity and non-violence. This essay has had a wide influence on many later practitioners of civil disobedience. Henry David Thoreau protested the Mexican-American War and paying taxes, but his essay led to other protests as well. Mohandas K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. found Thoreau’s essay very inspiring. Thoreau believed morality is more important than legality as shown below:
“Must a citizen . . . resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience, then? I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.”
Gandhi found guidance in Thoreau’s words and freed
Civil disobedience is defined as the refusal to obey certain laws or governmental demands for the purpose of influencing legislation or government policy. It is characterized by the employment of nonviolent techniques such as boycotting, picketing, and nonpayment of taxes. Civil disobedience is a nonviolent act of protest, which is caused by a moral belief that a law is wrong or otherwise known as unconstitutional. In the nineteenth century, the American author Henry David Thoreau wrote “Civil Disobedience,” an important essay justifying such action which started the boycotting and other nonviolent actions. Civil disobedience was started by the American author Henry David Thoreau. Henry Thoreau established the modern theory behind the practice of civil disobedience in his essay, “Civil Disobedience,” originally titled “Resistance to Civil Government,” which was published in 1849. The idea behind this essay was that of self-reliance, and how one is in morally good standing as long as one can “get off another man’s back.” The essay also stated that someone should not have to physically fight the government, but one must not support it. Civil disobedience can also be distinguished from other active forms of protest, such as rioting because of its passivity and non-violence. This essay has had a wide influence on many later practitioners of civil disobedience. Henry David Thoreau protested the Mexican-American War and paying taxes, but his essay led to other protests as well. Mohandas K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. found Thoreau’s essay very inspiring. Thoreau believed morality is more important than legality as shown below:
“Must a citizen . . . resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience, then? I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.”
Gandhi found guidance in Thoreau’s words and freed
Citations: Axelsen, K. L. (1995, Spring). Problems of punitive damages for political protest and civil disobedience. Environmental Law, 25(2), 495-511. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA17093286&v=2.1&u=nm_s_ratonhs&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w Civil Disobedience. (2010). The Hotline. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA227491783&v=2.1&u=nm_s_ratonhs&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w Lopach, J. J., & Luckowski, J. A. (2005). Uncivil disobedience: violating the rules for breaking the law. Education Next, 5(2), 38+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA130276023&v=2.1&u=nm_s_ratonhs&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w Bronwlee, K. (2007, January 4). Civil disobedience. Retrieved from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/civil-disobedience/ Thoreau, H. (1993). Civil disobedience and other essays. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. Altman, L. (2002). Human rights: Issues for a new millenium. Chicago: Dover Publications, Inc.