... who opposed the war did so for moral reasons, and therefore pronounced that signing the Declaration was an act of civil disobedience and not breaking a law. In his essay "Civil Disobedience", Henry David Thoreau writes, "Unjust laws exist: shall we be content to obey them or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we ... transgress them at once?" (Thoreau). The purpose of civil disobedience, in other words, is to call attention to an unjust law, and crusade until it could be amended. The desire to change a law is based upon moral principles, and ...

• Word Count: 1527
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... which governs least,"[Thoreau] Henry David Thoreau, defines "Civil Disobedience" as "a pacific act of willful resistance, achieved by not obeying laws he considers to be unmoral and unjust [Thoreau]." History shows us that civil disobedience is merely necessary when the relatively minorities face the majorities, who enact laws that prejudice them by ignoring their moral rights, beliefs ... cases, when power is unbalanced, and the society is unstable "civil disobedience" is one of the few strategies left for citizens that brings immediate attention to any unjust or unmoral law. In general...

• Word Count: 1587
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... without regard to societal rules and laws, even going so far as to act in opposition to those laws that are felt to be unjust. Emerson claims that "No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature. Good and bad are but names very readily transferable to that or this; ... is to do at any time what I think right"(2). While all members of society posses the will and the inclination to do right by opposing an unjust society, only those in the upper echelon have the power to actually affect change, while avoiding the personal consequences of non-conformity. Those that have stood ... only tho...

• Word Count: 1633
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... the strongest group. He contends that a citizen's first obligation is to cling to his or her own belief of what is right and not blindly follow the law dictated by the majority. In addition, Thoreau also believes that when a government is unjust, people should detachment themselves from its control and make it their civic-minded duty to avoid membership in any such ... his responsibility as a free citizen to express his discontent with the system. Thoreau seems to adopt an almost quizzical tone when he openly ponders how government can treat the most law-abiding citizen like a common cr...

• Word Count: 1220
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... were being imprisoned for standing up for their beliefs and arguing that the government's practices, especially slavery, were immoral. Thoreau thought that imprisoning these people was unjust in itself. "Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison." (230) Thus any penalty that ... be one step toward obtaining it." (223) It is the citizen's obligation to disobey governmental dictates when he or she believes that they are unjust or immoral. According to Thoreau, in a non-perfect society, those men willing to take the risks to rebel agains...

• Word Count: 1490
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... stage is the withdrawal of the police and military. Stage three is a goal that is only accomplished by steadfast support of nonviolence, and devotion of hearts to the righting of unjust law. The forth stage is the suspension of taxes, and fines. Taxation is the governments" deepest power, and revocation of that power strips the government of any say in national policy ... Camp in Washington State, and camps in Japan and Italy among others. Nonviolent civil disobedience is the closest thing you can do to a coup. The ability to not comply with unjust laws and inhuman policies is every hum...

• Word Count: 1312
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... 's perception of right and wrong. King combines this effectively and wisely inserts it in the piece, thus appealing to his selected audience in the ethical aspect: "One who breaks the unjust law must do so openly, lovingly and with a willingness to accept the penalty". Here King approaches his audience in a humble manner stating that one should hold himself responsible for his actions ... the argued problem rather than complaining about the issue, his appeal would stand firmer. In conclusion, both pieces emphasize on the rights and duties of the individual when he encounters unjust laws ...

• Word Count: 811
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... alcohol is? Should the government assume these responsibilities, or should the conscious individual citizens decide if things are right for them? "It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right"(CD 36). After all, it was the United States government that allowed slavery to exist for more than fifty years. And this same government ... power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly"(CD 40). Thoreau's "Declaration of the Independence for the Conscious," reflects his belief in using nonviolent but complete resistance to an unjust government, in...

• Word Count: 399
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... 's reason alone. King describes logically the four steps of a nonviolent campaign: "(determining) whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action."" He cites the words of Saint Augustine, ""an unjust law is no law at all."- He reminds us that "Jesus was an extremist- too and "everything Adolph Hitler did in Germany was legal."" He appeals to the hearts of his audience with ... ...

• Word Count: 630
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate