Question

For my own part, I should not like to think that I ever rely on the protection of the State. But, if I deny the authority of the State when it presents its tax-bill, it will soon take and waste all my property, and so harass me and my children without end. This is hard. This makes it impossible for a man to live honestly, and at the same time comfortably, in outward respects.

—Civil Disobedience, Henry David Thoreau, 1849


Which statement best reflects Henry David Thoreau's perspective on taxation efforts during the Mexican-American War?

Answer 1

Henry David Thoreau believed in the right to resist government actions considered unjust, such as taxation for the war with Mexico, advocating for individual freedom and civil disobedience.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that best reflects Henry David Thoreau's perspective on taxation efforts during the Mexican-American War is that he objected to the misuse of tax revenues for funding the war and the institution of slavery. Thoreau elucidates his stance in Civil Disobedience, where he argues for the individual's right to resist government actions that they consider unjust.

Through his actions and writings, particularly his passive resistance to unjust taxes by refusing to pay them, Thoreau became a proponent of civil disobedience. He believed that a government that imprisons unjustly is itself unjust, and therefore not deserving of obedience or financial support through taxes, especially when those taxes support actions such as the war with Mexico, which he saw as immoral.

Thoreau's insistence on living honestly and comfortably without government interference was a significant theme in his works. He argued for more individual freedom and for the right to defy unjust laws in nonviolent ways. His approach of passive resistance and his willingness to go to jail for his beliefs were influential in shaping the philosophy of future leaders in nonviolent protest movements.