Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was obviously not a member of the "I don't pay" movement, which implies that others should pay. He was a philosopher who, after his studies at Harvard, lived as a hermit, in nature, in a cabin, to realize his position in the world and society.
Therefore, what he writes, he writes with a clear mind and full awareness. It is his conscience that rebels against the practice of the government of the state of Massachusetts.
In fact, he says that:
- I don't pay, because with this money weapons will be bought for an aggressive war,
- I don't pay, so that chains will not be bought to bind new slaves,
- I don't pay, because it is an incapable government that says one thing publicly and does another behind the scenes, while managing money uncontrollably.

In a dark era when Greece was still fighting for its independence, he raised the flag of disobedience, because he himself obeyed a deeper moral law. His text is sharp, sarcastic, partly anarchic, putting human rights above all else. Thoreau is not a revolutionary. He wants certain things to be corrected, and above all, to awaken dormant consciences. The awareness that he is alone in his effort makes his cry of despair more tragic. But in the end, his ideas prevailed, and that is enough.