On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

Thoreau's Civil Disobedience - his protest against the government's interference with civil liberty - has inspired many to embrace his philosophy of individualism and love of nature. First published in 1849, this essay argues that individuals have rights and duties in relation to their government. Motivated by his disgust over both slavery and the Mexican-American War, Thoreau argued that individuals must not permit nor enable their government to act against their own consciences. More than a century and a half later, his message is more timely than ever.