Civil Disobedience

In 'Civil Disobedience', Thoreau argues that individuals should prioritize their conscience over the dictates of laws.

He criticizes American social institutions and policies, particularly slavery and the Mexican-American War. Thoreau contends that government derives its power from the majority rather than from legitimate viewpoints and that people should refuse to follow unjust laws.

He recounts his own acts of civil disobedience, including refusing to pay taxes and spending a night in jail, as a model for moral resistance against oppressive laws.

Thoreau emphasizes the importance of accepting the consequences of such actions and argues that true reform cannot come from within the government but through individual acts of defiance.