Thoreau vs. King

Thoreau and King's works are strong pieces of writing with messages that transcend the time period in which they were written. They bot have and attitude of defiance, though King's letter is intended to accomplish a more specific goal than Thoreau's. While King wants equality, Thoreau wants a complete regression from organized government, so that man can govern himself. Both goals are noble, in my opinion, and well articulated through the use of paradoxes. Thoreau states that the best governments are nonexistent, and King wishes to rebel against violence with nonviolence.
I believe both "Letter from Birminghan Jail" and "Civil Disobedience" are effectively written, but for different reasons. Thoreau's writing style shows his talent at describing his ideal government and convincing his readers to reject conventional governments. He attacks the current system of government and exposes its faults to his readers. King's letter is effective because he addresses all of his opponents arguments against his desire to rebel against white supremacists. He proves throughout his piece that his strategy is correct and justified because he negates any altercations.
I feel that King's letter is more effective for his original intended audience because he specifies instances and injustices that his readers would have been familiar with. These men and women would have identified with references to laws of the time, and King's defiant rebellion against these unjust laws would promote more noncompliance amongst the readers. Additionally, King utilizes ethical and emotional arguments more than Thoreau, so his readers feel connected to King and his plight against racism.
For me, Thoreau's essay is more focused than King's. This does not make the essay more effective, but it shows Thoreau's writing skill and the contemplation he put into the organization of his work. Thoreau uses logical arguments to first undermine the American government and then show how men who claim to reject the government's moral mistakes are actually indirectly conforming to society's evils. He then describes his own brush with the justice system and what he learned from that experience. His piece is well structured and easy to follow.