good neighbor as I am of being a bad subject Withdrawal of Allegiance Thoreau advocated for withdrawing allegiance from the state as a means of resisting unjust laws He argued that individuals should prioritize their conscience over blind obedience to authority Thoreau states I simply wish to refuse allegiance to the State to withdraw and stand aloof from it efectually Imprisonment Thoreau willingly spent one night in jail after refusing to pay his taxes He saw imprisonment as a form of protest against the government's unjust actions Advocacy for Individual Autonomy Thoreau's protest was grounded in his belief in the inherent rights and dignity of the individual He argued for the recognition of the individual as a higher power from which governmental authority derives Thoreau envisions a society that respects the autonomy of its citizens stating A State which bore this kind of fruit and sufered it to drop of as fast as it ripened would prepare the way for a still more perfect and glorious State Thoreau's protest against the government was characterized by his commitment to the principles of justice individual conscience and autonomy Through his actions and writings he inspired generations to question authority and advocate for social change