Government Essay -- Analysis, Thoreau

Thoreau starts his essay by supporting the motto- that judicature is best which governs least (177), which implies the reduction of presidential termal interference in everyday affairs by reducing the governments capacity to tax for un favorite causes. A case in point is a poll tax a per head tax imposed on all citizens to help support, what Thoreau considered an unfair war against Mexico, which would extend slavery into new US territories, organized by a small elite of persons who have manipulated government to their benefit against popular will (177). Furthermore, Thoreau maintains that government r bely proves itself useful and that it derives its authority from the majority since they are physically the strongest group, non because they hold the most legitimate viewpoint. He continues that case-by-cases prior obligation is to do what they believe is right and non to obey the law dictated by the majority. It domiciliate be suggested that when a government is unjust, people should refuse to obey the law and dissociate themselves from the government in general. This implies that a person is not obligated to devote his vitality to eradicating evils from the world, but he is ought not to participate in much(prenominal) evils, which could opine not being a member of an unjust institution such as the government. However, at the same time, it could not be the most conquer approach for one to dissociate from the society and be ultimately obligated to herself alone, especially in current interconnected world. Moreover, it is worth noting, that there is a strong sense of individualism and skepticism toward the government throughout Thoreaus work. It can be argued that Thoreau is deeply skeptical of the government because he despises the view that an individu... ...mply not make the world any worse. To return to the original question, it would appear that a man has a duty to act according to the dictates of his conscience, despite the latter(prenominal) g oes against majority opinion, or the laws of society. In cases when the state supports unjust or felonious laws, Thoreaus notion of service to ones country paradoxically shifts to the form of resistance against it. metro is the highest form of patriotism because it illustrates a desire not to demolish government but to build a better one in the yen term. Thus, Thoreau does not advocate a complete rejection of the administration, but resistance to those item features considered to be unjust or immoral. Even though Thoreaus ideas were not much influential in nineteenth century, it helped to inspire Mohandas Gandhis and Martin Luthor major powers theories of nonviolent resistance.