Curated set · answers marked
According to Thoreau in Civil Disobedience, what is the main responsibility of a citizen regarding the government?
Rationale
Thoreau contends that a person's moral conscience should take priority over the state's demands. He famously states that individuals have a duty to resist unjust laws rather than wait for slow legal changes, declaring, "The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right."
According to Thoreau in Civil Disobedience, what does he believe is the main responsibility of an individual when confronted with an unjust law?
Rationale
Thoreau contends that individuals shouldn't wait for the slow processes of government to rectify injustice. He famously declares that resisting unjust laws is not just a privilege but an obligation—"the only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right." Delaying or trying to reform corrupt systems only makes one part of the injustice.
According to Thoreau in Civil Disobedience, what should citizens do when the government creates unjust laws?
Rationale
Thoreau believes that individuals have a moral duty to follow their conscience rather than blindly obeying the state. He famously states that in a government that unjustly imprisons people, the rightful place for a just person is in prison as well — highlighting that passive acceptance of injustice makes citizens complicit in it.