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Civil Disobedience

             Anyone who fights for a just cause and is willing to break the law to do so uses it. However, without the essay "Civil Disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau, who knows how these people would have succeeded in their causes. Civil disobedience is defined as the refusal to obey the law in order to change something one believes is wrong, usually through nonviolent passive means. In the essay Thoreau explains how he attempted to use civil disobedience in order to change something that he believed was wrong and how it is possible for one to change anything they feel is wrong through protest and other nonviolent but illegal means. In explaining that it was possible for a person or group of persons to change their world through passive nonviolent means, Thoreau was revolutionary because this idea can actually work in the real world.
             Thoreau begins his essay by saying he heartily accepts the motto, "That government is best which governs least". He says he would like to see this motto acted upon. He then says that carried out to the fullest extent, "government is best which governs not at all." He states that when men are ready for this kind of government then they will have it. Thoreau explains that he believes the government is inexpedient and impractical because although it should execute the will of the people, instead it is usually abused and perverted before the people can act through it. He then alludes to the Mexican war to strengthen his point because people at the time believed the war was fought because of the desire of Southern planters and Northern merchants to extend the boundary of the United States and thus allow themselves to receive more income. He calls this "the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as their tool." He believes the American government has lost much of its integrity and that the American people have been trapped into allowing the government to trample them by being distracted by material goods.


Essays Related to Civil Disobedience

1. Civil Disobedience

Although Thoreau and Luther both agree on the act of civil disobedience, there is one author, Louis Waldman, who wrote an article entitled "Civil Rights-Yes: Civil Disobedience-No". ... This was just another good example of an excellent reason for civil disobedience. ... Board of Education was not achieved by civil disobedience, sit-ins, lie-ins, or marches. ... Board of Education was not settled by civil disobedience, but by peaceful appeals. ... Luther fought for the civil rights of his people even if that meant acts of civil disobedience. ...

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2. Civil disobedience in the civil rights movement

Civil Disobedience has a long,distinguished history. Without Civil Disobedience, the Civil Rights Movement wouldn't have gotten very far in the 60's. ... Civil Disobedience Civil Disobedience like stated before is the refusal to obey a law or follow a policy believed to be unjust. ... Civil Disobedience was used to make a change. ... King's Civil Disobedience was so effective. ...

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3. Elements of Civil Disobedience

People like Mahatma Gandhi, the Boston Massacre and the Civil Rights Movement civil disobedience to be heard and to change the course of history. These three examples of civil disobedience have their own reasons why the topics practiced civil disobedience, but the view on it is in similar manner. ... First and foremost, in Gandhi's opinion of civil disobedience was that civil disobedience is the purest form of constitutional agitation. ... Another historical chapter of civil disobedience would be the Boston Massacre. ... Lastly, the final example of civil disobedience is the Civil Rights ...

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4. Civil Disobedience Research Paper

"Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state has become lawless or corrupt. ... Another condition for civil disobedience to be legitimized, according to Rawls, is that disobedience coordinate with different minorities. ... The damages typically related to civil disobedience are as per the following. First, civil disobedience can be a divisive power in the public eye. ... Numerous scholars view non-violence as important to the legitimately of civil disobedience. ...

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5. Civil Disobedience

Civil Disobedience What is civil disobedience? ... His only weapon was civil disobedience. ... But there is more to civil disobedience then that. ... There are many forms of civil disobedience. ... Labor organizations have used civil disobedience to receive benefits on many occasions. ...

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6. Civil Disobedience

The use of civil disobedience is not a new phenomenon, nor is it uncommon. ... These instances show the persuasive power behind nonviolent civil disobedience. ... Gandhi did not think up civil disobedience by himself, he read many books on the subject including Henry David Thoreau's Walden and Civil Disobedience. ... The anti-apartheid movement in the 80s was built upon the powerful and empowering use of civil disobedience by the civil rights movement in the 60s. ... Nonviolent civil disobedience is the closest thing you can do to a coup. ...

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7. Civil disobedience

Civil Disobedience When we think of civil disobedience in modern times we conjure up images of Martin Luther King Jr. fighting for African American civil rights against White America, or Ghandi peacefully defeating the British in India. ... Civil Disobedience has as long a history as governments themselves. ... On the other hand social protest in the form of civil disobedience has been proven to be one of the most formidable ways to deal with government injustices. ... If Bush manages to steal another election I would hope that the civil disobedience movement would mobilize to fight the ...

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8. The Result of Civil Disobedience

Some claim that civil disobedience is provider of democracy and every citizen should show their disobedience against government and its laws. ... However civil disobedience destroys them. ... Civil disobedience is not above the law, but against the law. ... There are so many of ideas about civil disobedience and most people think that civil disobedience destroys the democracy. ... In some situation civil disobedience can be legally true nonviolent movement. ...

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9. Socrates and Civil Disobedience

As a result, the signing of the Declaration of Conscience could easily be considered civil disobedience. A fundamental characteristic of civil disobedience is the use of non-violent protest against the government. ... An act of civil disobedience must also be motivated by morality. ... In history, however, civil disobedience has played an enormous role in the evolution of society. ... Therefore it is imperative that we know the definition and purpose of civil disobedience, what constitutes civil disobedience, and the changes that it can bring about - and of course, how it can be acc...

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10. Civil and Uncivil Disobedience

When going through civil disobedience, you disobey the law of where you live. Examples of civil disobedience can be not paying taxes, boycotting, and picketing. ... However, when civil disobedience is triggered by violence inflicted on the protesters, civil disobedience does not work; protesters can then use uncivil disobedience. ... Whether it be civil disobedience providing a positive image, delegitimizing the people in power, or providing a positive image, civil disobedience would be more effective to let people fight for what is right.  ... Civil disobedience can be a way to delegitimize ...

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