Civil disobedience is a journal in political philosophy written by William Smith in 2011.

The journal is a public conscientious, and a non-violent political action on the law (SMITH, 2011). The move is always done to bring about changes in policies by various governments in the world. Civil disobedience always comes about addressing the issue of government policies that undermine citizens. It goes against the standard requirement by multiple laws that need citizens to conform to every decision by the ruling institutions. While executing civil disobedience, it might encourage people to ignore existing rules in the process of communicating their agenda.

In the journal, William shows how such actions might have extreme results to both the social and political structures. However, this kind of action is necessary when there is a need to express existing mass infringement of their rights (SMITH, 2011). Typically, it acts as a guardian of moral justice to the general public. However, it is sometimes criticized for its procedure of fighting for justice. The article justifies the theory of civil disobedience to be necessary for safeguarding the moral rights of people.

The first section of this article looks at the republican defense suggested not long ago by Daniel Markovits. The theory has essential substitutes for existing civil disobedience but vulnerable to objection.  The other section of the article tries to avoid possible challenges through a deliberative approach (SMITH, 2011). It brings out the main idea of the republic sphere to be the significant tactic through which citizens attack issues of common interest. Civil disobedience is always seen as a channel through which every day public use to address their concerns at critical moments. The third part of the article building on the theory of civil disobedience by defending it against possible objections.