Letter To Birmingham Jail, By Henry David Thoreau

In“Civil Disobedience” Thoreau advocates that civil disobedience is the only way to stand up to injustices in a corrupt society. In MLK’s “Letter to Birmingham Jail” he proves that civil disobedience does make real change in society as we saw due to his actions the amount of change for racial equality from the 1960s to present day. Specifically, Through writes to explain the importance of civil disbanded and how it should be used properly, while MLK explains how it applies to solving the injustices in America regarding equality. In MLK’s letter he explains how change is only possible through hard work when he says “Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be co workers

The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro.” This quote directly supports civil disobedience leading to successful change. On the other hand, while MLK calls for civil disobedience, Thoreau explains why it is useful. To make sure his point is clear, he explains how civil disobedience is only beneficial when it is necessary as he says ““I do not wish to quarrel with any man or nation. I do not wish to split hairs, to make fine distinctions, or set myself up as better than my neighbors. I seek rather, I may say, even an excuse for conforming to the laws of the land.” By saying this he shows that he believes in civil defence only when there is an injustice in the system that calls for it. More specifically, to explain how the people have the right to disobey a system in order to make change Thoreau says “Can there not be a government in which majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong, but conscience?- in which majorities decide only those questions to which the rule of expediency is applicable?” With this being said, he is saying that the people who are being oppressed have every right to stand up and make change even by being