Preview

Persuasive Writing on Thoreau

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
829 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Persuasive Writing on Thoreau
Theory of civil disobedience in the United States naturalist Henry David Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience has started on. He slavery in the southern United States federal government to continue the war of aggression against Mexico caused, and continues to infringe the rights of indigenous Indians as a symbolic act to protest refused to pay a poll tax in 1846 were in jail. Nevertheless be used for public welfare have to pay taxes. Civil disobedience is such a man-made laws and regulations that may be defective and the defect to resolve legal and institutional laws and regulations when there is no way to create a new system by the idea that disobedience means.

The logic of democracy, civil disobedience is never a finished product, not current, is the assumption that in the process of forming. So our society and social phenomena of the Korea Democracy Is Not When evaluating assessment dichotomy rather than 'how much' is the question of democracy would make sense to throw. Unjust and evil system under democratic law can be enacted, fragmented and human rights law enforcement is because there may be. Legal action against illegal to take corresponding measures the degree of democracy is certain immanent. But too much time to respond to legal and contain costs, normal citizens can not withstand the reality of illegal degree may lead to. When this happens to awaken silent and indifferent fellow citizens to change the phenomenon 'unlawful means' justifiable belief will choose.

Exist as a human being with free will, the freedom to disobey no choice but to be recognized as a part of. Outside the authority of 'freedom of obedience', but if allowed, it is already the practice of human freedom as autonomous from the inside out is because there is no way to build a place name. The extinction of the human race hatred and greed, destructive behavior arises as a result of the submission of the individual and, through the exercise of will to disobey don’t prevent the destruction

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Tim Dechristopher

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Thoreau, a Harvard philosopher, wrote in 1849 an essay explaining himself, who spent a night in jail to protest taxes that funded the Mexican-American War. Likewise, Tim Dechristopher, an environmental activist in 2008, disrupted the bid for oil drilling leases, to hinder and protest the destruction of the environment. Thoreau explains his antithesis, “If [U.S. Citizens] pay the tax from a mistaken interest in the individual taxes, to save his property, or prevent his going to jail, it is because they have not considered wisely how far they let their private feelings interfere with the public good” (Thoreau 3, 10). Hence, he states that doing unjust and illegal activities is justifiable, if it boosts public welfare. Similarly, Dechristopher’s illegal act of fraud is justified in the New York Times article, “Activist said the sale would threaten Utah’s wild lands and spoil the view from some of the state’s spectacular national parks with drilling rigs” (Associated Press 11). As many environmental activists agree, the public welfare of the people relies on the health of the environment. Seeing Dechristopher verbally support his own act of civil disobedience, and in like manner, Thoreau justifying his act and accepting it, it is deducted that they are both embodiments of civil disobedience. If civil disobedience was construed, Thoreau and…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “Civil Disobedience” Thoreau believes that the government is being unjust. He believes that the government is being used by a “few individuals using the standing government as their tool” (Thoreau, 940). If the government is “the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will” then the government shouldn’t carry out unjust policies such as the Mexican War and slavery despite the governments knowledge that there are those who opposes…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In The Case Against Civil Disobedience the unknown author claims in his very first sentence that “the most striking characteristic of civil disobedience is its irrelevance to the problems of today” and that it is “the resort… exercised because the subject cannot or will not take up the rights and duties of the citizen.” What he fails to realize is that the rights and duties of a citizen is to keep an eye on the laws that rule the land and to revolt when those laws become unjust. It’s all part and parcel to the social contract thought up by Locke and heavily leaned upon by Thomas Jefferson. As Henry David Thoreau says in Civil Disobedience, “a corporation of conscientious men is a corporation with a conscious.” Civil disobedience can never become irrelevant because corruption will forever attempt to corrode even the best intentions of a government and so there will always be a need to revolt when unjust laws get pasted.…

    • 596 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Thoreau refused to pay taxes because he did not believe in the government’s involvement in the Mexican war. For this, he was thrown in jail. So instead of paying taxes to what he believed meant he was supporting the war, for something he believed was wrong or unjust, he broke the law by not paying taxes. His refusal to pay a tax that supported the Mexican War was a very individualistic act that, in its non-conformity, brought to light issues that Thoreau felt should not be supported. Thus Thoreau's non-conformity in going to jail to "expresses the very highest respect for the law"--that which follows the constitution--and is an act of individuality brought to light the idea of being chained to institutions is a violation of one's…

    • 323 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Henry David Thoreau, in his essay, civil disobedience, argues that when a person is not in comfort with the government, then we have a right as humans to act against its injustice. Thoreau supports his argument by first stating that unjust laws exist and that we shall endeavor to amend them instead of being content to obey them. His purpose is to inform the reader about the way they are being mistreated by government and to persuade them to act against their injustices in a civil disobedient way inn order to see the government acting up more rapidly and systematically. Thoreau establishes a critical and righteous tone for those who are against…

    • 2786 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau expresses his strong disapproval of the American government. He even makes the following statement: "the best government is the one that governs the least." This quote shows us that Thoreau really does have a strong dislike for the government and that he will rebel against it. Thoreau does in fact rebel against the government by not paying his taxes. This causes him to suffer one night in jail. In his isolation, he is able to think, and concludes that he would rather be in jail than out in the real world.…

    • 418 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The idea of civil disobedience brings much controversy when it’s being discussed. Many distinctive perceptions have been made regarding the topic, but a substantial amount of people have seen Henry David Thoreau’s assumption in his essay, Civil Disobedience. In his essay, Thoreau theorized, “That government is best which governs least.” The population of the United States is politically divided due to the fact that different groups and cultures of people have conflicting viewpoints on topics like these. Some of the population agrees with Thoreau, that there should be a more just government that what exists. Recently, there has been an uprising in the nation due to a protest made by a football team. Many people of America are debating the meaning…

    • 299 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Civil disobedience is using nonviolent protest to boycott government in an attempt to influence the legislation to change the policy. Henry David Thoreau created a writing called "Civil Disobedience", talking about its meaning and how he had experienced civil disobedience. He had been sent to jail for not paying a poll-tax for six years (Thoreau par. 7). When he was released, he paid the tax; obeying the law, but had still thought that government is biased for making him pay it (McElroy par. 2). Wendy McElroy stated "He listened to the inner voice of his conscience, a voice all men possess but few men follow (McElroy par. 5). Thoreau listened to his belief and did not pay the tax because he did not believe it was something that he should have to do. Overall, Thoreau was a simple man who relied on nonviolent nature and his own beliefs to disobey the government and its laws. Thoreau would have recognized the Singing Revolution in Europe and the Kent State University protestors as significant acts of civil disobedience considering…

    • 1039 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    "Civil Disobedience" was inspired by a night in jail, which Thoreau had to serve for not paying his poll tax. His refusal to pay a tax to the state stemmed from his opposition to slavery. The state supported it, and to show his disdain towards the state's position, he refused to pay this tax. Some people have suggested the essay shows that Thoreau merely wanted to withdraw from life and all its hard questions. Others see Thoreau's position as the only one he could take to justify his stand. Upon completion of this assignment, Part II, you will have to decide for yourself how this essay affects you.…

    • 314 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    David Henry Thoreau, through his writings, influenced the Martin Luther King, Jr. in his quest for equal rights. Not only is this evidenced in King’s actions, but King partially attributes his methods to the inspiration of Thoreau. In “Civil Disobedience,” Thoreau promotes resisting unjust government actions. Although not opposed to violent solutions, Thoreau encourages less aggressive measures. Specifically, Thoreau gave the example of refusing to pay certain taxes. Following this idea, King writes in detail about nonviolent resistance in his first book, Stride Toward Freedom. King describes how one of Thoreau’s works was his original inspiration for his peaceful approach explaining, “. . . I read Thoreau’s Essay on Civil Disobedience for…

    • 304 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Civil disobedience has evolved from a sense of right and wrong and from the consciousness of doing something for the greater good. Thoreau did not invent the concept civil disobedience, for we can see myriad examples throughout history. Transcendent law appeared in the writing of Socrates as well as in many of the Greek Tragedies. It is a concept which bases its morality on the premise that there are “higher laws” which transcend the laws of the state. Should the higher law and the laws of the state come into conflict, the individual had not only the right, but had the OBLIGATION to disobey the laws of the state and to adhere to the “higher authority”. However, Thoreau’s thoughts on the subject of civil disobedience popularized the concept of rebellion during times of unrest, dissatisfaction and of war. At the same time, the increase in the population, in technology (especially communication) and with a more educated general public, Thoreau’s ignited rebellion like that wind-blown spark.…

    • 835 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Henry David Thoreau goes to the woods to live away from duties and to live a life of leisure. He moves far away from any method of communication, such as the post office. He wishes to live independently and self-sufficiently. The quote “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life…and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” He summarizes his reasons for living in the woods in this quote. Thoreau wants to live deliberately; to choose his own course and have no one else influence his life. He doesn’t want to get old and look back and realize that there are things in life that he wanted to do, that he has never done.…

    • 616 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience was based on the matter of him being incarcerated for refusal to pay his poll tax. Thoreau was in opposition of the expansion of slaves and the Mexican War. Thoreau felt that the government…

    • 714 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Henry David Thoreau Essay

    • 595 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The great author Henry David Thoreau once wrote, "Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." Thoreau's quote is trying to express that in life we sometimes try so hard to accomplish things and gain status that we tend to forget what we are really after is happiness. People often believe that certain things will bring them happiness such as money, jobs, and material possessions. However, after they acquire these things instead of feeling contentment they feel a sense of emptiness.…

    • 595 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Henry David Thoreau was arrested for his refusal to pay a state tax in support of the Mexican-American War. He was opposed to the war because it was intended to expand the slave states. Thoreau not only engaged in civil disobedience, but in his essay “Civil Disobedience”…

    • 919 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays