Thoreau’s Plea for John Brown: Conscience Against the State

In the wake of John Brown’s raid, Henry David Thoreau delivered one of the most forceful defenses of moral action in American history. While much of the North recoiled after Harpers Ferry, Thoreau stood up in Concord and defended Brown as a man of principle, willing to act where others would only speak.What follows is a reading of Thoreau’s A Plea for Captain John Brown, one of the clearest expressions of the idea that when a government becomes unjust, the individual conscience may stand above it.This episode serves as a bridge into Season 2 of ISM: The Age of Anarchism and the American Labor Revolt, where these same questions about conscience, resistance, violence, and legitimacy will reappear in new and more collective forms.Next: Season Two — The Age of Anarchism: Chicago and the American Labor Revolt Written and produced by Matt Payne.Support, Subscribe, Read on Substack and Patreon.Original Musical Compositions by Ian Payne: https://www.jamesianpayne.com/Support the Show: PayPalContact: [email protected] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ismhistorypodcast.substack.com