Henry David Thoreau believed that revolt is justified when an individual's conscience dictates that a particular law or government action is unjust. In his famous essay "Civil Disobedience," Thoreau argues that individuals have a duty to stand up against unjust laws and government actions, even if it means breaking the law and facing consequences such as jail or fines. He writes, "Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison... It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right" (Thoreau, 1849). This idea is rooted in Thoreau's belief in individual conscience and the idea that moral obligations are more important than legal obligations