The central question raised by the philosophical concept of civil disobedience—the duty each citizen has to uphold the laws of the state—has been debated throughout history. In his essay On Civil Disobedience, Thoreau argued that people have a moral obligation to disobey unjust laws, posing the question of which to follow. This essay can be seen as a refutation of Socrates' claims in the Crito regarding our duty to uphold the laws of the land. The famous quote from Thoreau that emphasizes his belief that government should not meddle in people's lives more than is necessary is, "'Government is best which governs least.'" Henry David Thoreau thought that the American government was becoming corrupt and that every citizen should express their …show more content…
Marx believed that for there to be a just and equal society, there had to be collective action and solidarity among the oppressed. From the civil rights movement to the Haitian slave revolution, Marx's theories have influenced social movements throughout history, proving the value of using civil disobedience to bring about social change. Marx would contend that citizens must oppose unjust laws and systems that uphold inequality and exploitation in place of the individual citizen's obligations to abide by the laws of the state. Marx emphasizes that the state should serve the interests of the people rather than the interests of the ruling elite, even though he acknowledges the value of law and order. People, therefore, have a moral duty to break any laws that support oppression and exploitation. In conclusion, a citizen's duty to uphold the laws of the state is not absolute; rather, it depends on whether the laws are fair and serves the needs of the populace. The oppressed can use civil disobedience as a potent tool to confront unfair laws and systems and build a more equitable and just society. We must snuff out capitalist dogma as it frequently serves to perpetuate inequality and exploitation. Although some people may be opposed to Marxist ideals, it is because of this dogma that we become complacent and simply become ivory tower theorists and not revolutionaries. Marx once said, "The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is to change it." To actively create a more just and equal society for all, we must actively work to challenge unjust laws and