Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau is an essay about the moral duty to resist unjust government. Thoreau argues that individuals should not allow the state to overrule conscience, especially when laws support injustice. He criticizes slavery, war, and passive obedience to political authority. The essay explains why he refused to pay taxes as a protest against government actions he considered immoral. Thoreau presents civil disobedience as a peaceful but principled form of resistance. The work became a major influence on later movements for social justice, nonviolent protest, and political reform.