“If the law requires you to be the agent of injustice‚ then‚ I say‚ break the law” (Henry Thoreau) This famous quote is taken from the famous essay Civil Disobedience written in 1848‚ Civil Disobedience still stands as an expression of moral and individual conscience against a un just government. To begin‚ the quote written by Henry Thoreau‚ “If the law requires you to be the agent of injustice‚ then‚ I say‚ break the law” is essentially saying If following the law results in a wrong done to another
Premium Political philosophy Government Democracy
Civil Disobedience It is seldom that breaking the law is justifiable‚ but when the law is unjust‚ it is up to the people to bring attention to it. Civil disobedience is a peaceful form of protest “with the aim of bringing about a change in laws or government policies” (Brownlee). Antigone buries her brother in an act of civil disobedience when her uncle prohibits his burial. Just as Antigone accepted her death sentence‚ those who participate in civil disobedience “are willing to accept the legal
Premium Civil disobedience Martin Luther King, Jr. Henry David Thoreau
who believe civil disobedience acheives political success think this is the most successful and effective way for people to get a message across while also creating change. Professor Rawls from MIT supports the fact that civil disobedience is the only option to really achieve success because many other paths to changing the law are closed off. This scholar furthers that there are certain requirements that must be met to create a successful movement. First‚ these acts of civil disobedience must target
Premium Civil disobedience Law Democracy
Civil disobedience: conscientious and public opposition of law or government demands to influence legislation of government policy. Coined by the renowned Henry David Thoreau and built upon the freedoms of speech‚ press‚ and assembly‚ civil disobedience is used worldwide by citizens to voice themselves to the government. Breaches of law have not only been prominent in Thoreau’s era‚ Martin Luther King Jr.’s era‚ but now‚ in current opposition against President Trump’s inauguration. As with every
Premium United States American Civil War Slavery in the United States
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).
Premium Civil disobedience Henry David Thoreau Martin Luther King
always correct‚ and the biggest changes normally come about from civil disobedience. Civil disobedience has been used to speak against the United States government when it showed that those in power wouldn’t change for the better. Civil disobedience was not well known for the abolition of slaves. David Thoreau called for it in “Civil Disobedience‚” written in 1849‚ claiming that the government showed faulty in handling slavery. Thoreau claimed “the government itself… is equally liable to be abused
Premium Civil disobedience Martin Luther King, Jr. Nonviolence
manner. And an example of following this statement is the using the act of civil disobedience. Civil disobedience is the refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines‚ as a peaceful form of political protest. However‚ some argue that civil disobedience this is an ineffective way to change laws and/or make social change‚ but when you look at the facts‚ civil disobedience is clearly effective. Civil disobedience is effective for many reasons‚ few are such as there is no violence on one
Premium Nonviolence Civil disobedience Nonviolent resistance
Henry David Thoreau argues that the corruptibility of the government hinders society in order to convince American citizens in the mid-nineteenth century that people should follow personal morals rather than the will of the government. Thoreau sends a valid message given the context of his argument. During the mid-nineteenth century‚ slavery remained ubiquitous in the United States because the government authorized the legal usage of slaves. Although the law permits slavery‚ morality forbids slavery
Premium Political philosophy Law Henry David Thoreau
effect might be to dissuade an isolated individual from civil disobedience on the basis of uncertainty. Cohen‚ a University of Michigan philosopher‚ posits that every citizen has a prima facie duty to obey the nation’s laws; in knowingly breaking a law the disobedient has engaged in serious action‚ which is however less than revolutionary since he accepts the basic legitimacy of the authorities. Reviewing utilitarian arguments for civil disobedience‚ Cohen’s gnawing doubts get the better of him: ""It
Premium Law Ethics Morality
Civil disobedience is defined as “refusal to obey governmental demands or commands especially as a nonviolent and usually collective means of forcing concessions from the government”(Merriam-Webster). This can also be stated as peacefully breaking laws that are seen as unjust. America’s government is built on the people being able to criticize the government publicly without being punished. Actions that are taken that would qualify as civil disobedience are intended to generate a reaction‚ ideally
Premium Civil disobedience Nonviolence Martin Luther King, Jr.