What is the main point of civil disobedience by Henry David Thoreau?

What is the main point of civil disobedience by Henry David Thoreau?

In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau’s basic premise is that a higher law than civil law demands the obedience of the individual. Human law and government are subordinate. In cases where the two are at odds with one another, the individual must follow his conscience and, if necessary, disregard human law.

What was the purpose of on the duty of civil disobedience?

Audience & Purpose The purpose of the essay is to encourage the audience (the American public) not to blindly follow laws simply because the government enforces it, EVEN if breaking the law leads to legal punishment.

What is the punishment for civil disobedience?

Justified or not, civil disobedience is liable to legal punishment. Civil disobedience, Hugo Bedau noted, “is not just done; it is committed. It is always the sort of thing that can send one to jail” (Bedau 1961, p. 654).

Is civil disobedience good?

Non-violent civil disobedience is effective because it emphasizes a group’s proposed injustice within an institution, while directly appealing to the different ethical systems of individual citizens.

What is an example of an act of civil disobedience?

Among the most notable civil disobedience events in the U.S. occurred when Parks refused to move on the bus when a white man tried to take her seat. Although 15-year-old Claudette Colvin had done the same thing nine months earlier, Parks’ action led directly to the Montgomery bus boycott.

Why is it called civil disobedience?

Features of Civil Disobedience. Henry David Thoreau is widely credited with coining the term civil disobedience. For years, Thoreau refused to pay his state poll tax as a protest against the institution of slavery, the extermination of Native Americans, and the war against Mexico.

What was the impact of civil disobedience movement?

The impact of the civil disobedience movement reverberated far and wide. It created distrust towards the British government and laid the foundation for the freedom struggle, and popularised the new method of propaganda like the Prabhat, pheris, pamphlets, etc.

What were the causes of civil disobedience movement what were its result?

Reasons for launching the Civil Disobedience Movement were: The Simon Commission came to India in 1928. It was to look into the functions of the constitutional system in India. Since it had no Indian member in it, it was boycotted by all political parties in the country.

What were the two main reasons behind the civil disobedience movement?

• The economic depression of 1929 and resultant political and socio-economic tensions intensified anti-imperialist mood, thus making the Civil Disobedience Movement inevitable.
• Another major reason for the movement was the appointment of a statutory commission under sir John Simon.

How did civil disobedience movement progress?

In the countryside, rich peasants were active in the civil disobedience movement. As a result, these rich peasants enthusiastically participated in the movement. They organised communities and participated in the boycott programmes.

What are the features of civil disobedience movement?

What is the main features of civil disobedience movement

• Boycott of foreign made cloth and liquor shops.
• Refusal by peasants to pay revenue and chaukidari taxes.
• Violation of forest law by grazing animals in the reseved forest.
• Deliberalety breaking unjust law like salt tax law.