Why did Jean-Paul Sartre decline the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature?

In 1964, the French philosopher and author Jean-Paul Sartre was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. He famously declined the honor as part of his consistent policy of refusing all official awards.123

Sartre’s decision was rooted in his belief that a writer must maintain their independence and "refuse to let himself be transformed into an institution". By rejecting the prize, he sought to avoid the institutionalization of his work and persona, ensuring that his identity as a writer remained separate from official recognition or state-sanctioned accolades.31