Henry Thoreau's Civil Disobedience

Henry Thoreau developed many ideas throughout his lifetime that have been highly influential for many years. Perhaps the most famous of these ideas were those presented in Civil Disobedience. Within this text, Thoreau presents highly unconventional ideas for his time. These ideas, however, lead to many of the ideals held by Americans today. In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau presents the ideals and attitudes embodied by so many American citizens today.

In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau expresses a need for resistance of authority. Thoreau genuinely believes that if one does not stand up to an authority figure whom they disagree with, nothing will change for the better. In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau states, “I was not designed to be forced.
Thoreau questions this, “Is a democracy, such as we know it, the last improvement possible in government? Is it not possible to take a step further towards recognizing and organizing the rights of man?” (Thoreau) Thoreau asks questions that no one had been willing to ask since the American Revolution. For the first time, this system of government that had seemed so solid and inclusive was being questioned as though it might not be the greatest possibility for Americans. Thoreau speaks as though more advancements can be made for the American people and their government. These opinions were extremely radical at the time, as no one dared to question the system established by the founding fathers.

Overall, Thoreau was a radical thinker all his life, as clearly displayed in Civil Disobedience. He was willing to discuss elements of life and government that others were not. Thoreau’s ideas were amazingly progressive, and others learned how to stand up for themselves and their beliefs through his writings. Thoreau’s expressionism allowed him to open himself up to all the possibilities for his own advancement as well as that of