In this excerpt, from Civil Disobedience, Thoreau Essay Example For Students

In this excerpt, from Civil Disobedience, Thoreau Essay is saying that government is the best when it governs least or when it does not govern at all. He is saying that government gets in the peoples way. For example Thoreau said that government does not keep the country free. It does not settle the west. It does not educate. The people did all that on their own and probably would have gone further if the government did not get it their way. Also, Thoreau said, Can there not be a government in which majorities do not virtually decide right from wrong, but conscience? This means that the government only does things that benefits them and not what is right. And if the government choose to do something that is not right, the common people have to follow the rules even if their conscience tells them it is wrong. They could face penalties if they do not follow the rules in which the government sets though. Thoreau is saying the people have a right to do what is right. Thoreau is also saying in this excerpt that people came into this world, not just to make it a good place to live in, but to live in it, being good or bad. A single man cant do everything but he can do something and it is not necessary that that something is wrong. People do not have a right to appeal the government but the government has no right to petition the people. Its very Constitution is the evil, Thoreau said. Another point that Thoreau makes is that once one person does something people will follow. He backs this statement up by saying if one honest man, in this state of Massachusetts, ceasing to hold slaves, were actually to withdraw from this copartnership, and be locked up in the county jail therefore, it would be the abolition of slavery in America. For it matters not how small the beginning may seem to be: what is once well done is done forever. I agree with every point Thoreau has stated in Civil Disobedience. He thinks the same way I do. I also think that our government is greedy and only does things to make more money and to benefit themselves and make the lives of the common people harder. I think the Massachusetts government has more stupid rules that we have to follow that a lot of people do not agree with. Thoreau has made it perfectly clear that government gets in the way and blocks people from doing what they believe is right. I fully agree with him on that issue and all the other issues I have mentioned. I think Thoreau had a good understanding about life and knew what he was talking about. He didnt like things getting in his way and thats how we should live our lives. .