Thoreau and the Idea of John Brown: The Radicalization of Transcendental Politics

Henry David Thoreau’s defense of John Brown has been interpreted as an inconsistency in his political philosophy. Since Thoreau was best known for his commitment to civil disobedience, his critics argued that his support for Brown constitutes a break in Thoreau’s political thought. However, I argue that A Plea for John Brown should be seen as a radicalization of Thoreau’s transcendental politics rather than an inconsistency in his writings. Understanding this decade-long process of radicalization requires an analysis of Thoreau’s four main essays from Resistance to Civil Government in 1849 to The Last Days of John Brown in 1860.