I have paid no poll tax in six years. I was put into a jail once on this account, for one night.
How did Thoreau justify this act of civil disobedience?
He disagreed with increasing taxes for the lower classes
Henry David Thoreau justified his act of civil disobedience by employing the concept of individual conscience and natural rights. He strongly believed that individuals have a moral duty to oppose government actions that they deem unjust or immoral. Thoreau argued that the government's policies, including the poll tax, supported and perpetuated unjust institutions such as slavery and the Mexican-American War.
Thoreau saw tax payment as indirectly supporting these actions, leading him to refuse to pay the poll tax. By doing so, he aimed to assert his individual conscience and take a stand against what he considered an unjust government policy. Thoreau further argued that individuals should prioritize their own moral beliefs over the laws created by the government, hence advocating for civil disobedience as a means to effect change and protest against injustice.