Civil Disobedience
Read the excerpt from “Civil Disobedience.”As they could not reach me, they had resolved to punish my body; just as boys, if they cannot come at some person against whom they have a spite, will abuse his dog.Based on his transcendental beliefs, Thoreau most likely believed that the state
Answer:
Thoreau, as a transcendentalist, believed in the inherent goodness of individuals and the power of individual conscience to guide moral action. Therefore, based on this excerpt from “Civil Disobedience,” it is likely that Thoreau believed that the state was acting unjustly in punishing his body for his refusal to pay taxes. He may have viewed the state’s actions as an abuse of power and an infringement on his individual liberty and conscience. Thoreau believed that individuals had a moral duty to resist unjust laws and government actions, and that such resistance could lead to positive social change.