Originally published in 1849, Thoreau’s classic essay on resistance to the laws and acts of government through non-violent means was largely ignored until the twentieth century when Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and anti-Vietnam War activists applied Thoreau's groundbreaking ideas. This elegant hardcover gift edition features an introduction detailing the importance of Thoreau’s ideas in the fight for civil rights across the world. Discover an iconic essay in the history of American philosophy and human rights.