In , the United States declared war against Mexico. Thoreau and other Northern critics of the war viewed it as a plot by Southerners to expand slavery into the Southwest. Thoreau had already stopped paying his taxes in protest against slavery. The local tax collector had ignored his tax evasion, but decided to act when Thoreau publicly condemned the U. In July , the sheriff arrested and jailed Thoreau for his tax delinquency.
A person of conscience had to act. In other words, when a sixth of the population of a nation, which has undertaken to be the refuge of liberty, are slaves, and a whole country [Mexico] is unjustly overrun and conquered by a foreign army, and subjected to military law, I think that it is not too soon for honest men to rebel and revolutionize.
Thoreau argued that the government must end its unjust actions to earn the right to collect taxes from its citizens. As long as the government commits unjust actions, he continued, conscientious individuals must choose whether to pay their taxes or to refuse to pay them and defy the government. His protest didn't stop the war but it had more of a symbolistic impact. People could join the protest without fear of being arrested. Since they are not violating the law, there is no need for them to hide what they think regarding the issue.
Thoreau shared his experience when he was jailed for refusing to pay his tax to protest against slavery. He violated the law. Some wonder what Civil Disobedience is and what it is all about.
He wrote this while he sent the night in jail because he had failed to pay 6 years worth of delinquent poll taxes Resistance to Civil Government. He thinks people are serving the government as a machine not as a human. The south was so wrapped up in there ego that they thought that if they withheld their cotton from England and France that would make them want to help them win the war. The South also forgot that England was against slavery.
His tried to pass the Alabama Platform. The platform would let slave owners take their property into territories, it would make Congress protect slave owners rights everywhere, and recognize that the Democratic Part could only elect pro-slavery candidates to national office. But the Democratic Party declined it twice, once in , and another time in. Doc 2. Thoreau did not support the southern government and slavery therefore he did not feel as if he should pay taxes. In jail alone and having time to think, Henry David Thoreau, wrote this essay on his experiences and beliefs.
Henry David Thoreau believes in a small government, and a government that governs less, is better than one that governs more, as stated in line 1 of the first paragraph.
He, after being thrown in jail, believes that a government that does not govern at all, is better that one that governs a small amount. In the eyes of Thoreau the best government, is the type that does not govern at all. He supports slavery because it was in the original compact of the U. Thus, he doesn't have wisdom but only prudence.
Thoreau concludes by saying that no one with legislative genius has yet appeared in America--such people are rare in the world's history. He writes that government's authority is "impure. The movement toward democracy constitutes progress toward true respect for the individual. However, democracy is not the last step that can be made.
He says that he dreams of a State that respects the individual, a State that would not mind if a few individuals even chose to live independent of it altogether. This kind of State would prepare the way for an even more "perfect and glorious State. Jekyll and Mr. SparkTeach Teacher's Handbook. Summary Section Three. Page 1 Page 2. Summary Thoreau now turns to his personal experiences with civil disobedience.
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