Resistance To Civil Government By Thoreau Henry Debers Post

Resistance To Civil Governmentby Thoreau Henry Dpeers Postthoreau P

Resistance to civil government by Thoreau Henry D. Peers post(Thoreau presented integrity through his writing as he expressed the importance of not letting a head or someone in a higher position like the government take away what truly values. Thoreau was not in accord with the things that the president at that time was doing, like the war the U.S had with Mexico and Britain. To Thoreau's eyes that was not necessary and only disrupted the peace between the countries, and President Polk was not hesitant to let foreign countries know that he had willpower or dominance including his citizens some were not pleased but were afraid to speak up because of Class status and race which also upset Thoreau quoted “There will never be a free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly. Iâ€.) Thoreau, Henry D.(1849).Resistance to civil government, The Norton anthology of American literature. Shorter 7th ed. New York: W.W. Norton.

Paper For Above instruction

I agree with my classmate that Thoreau’s emphasis on individual integrity and moral independence is essential for understanding his stance on civil disobedience. Thoreau believed that governments often act unjustly and that citizens have a moral duty to oppose such injustices (Thoreau, 1849). The quote, “There will never be a free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power,” effectively highlights Thoreau’s core idea—that individual conscience should guide political action rather than blind obedience to authority. This perspective remains highly relevant today, as government actions sometimes conflict with personal moral values. The most compelling part of my classmate’s post is the mention of how Thoreau opposed the war with Mexico and Britain, viewing these conflicts as unnecessary disruptions that exemplify government overreach. Thoreau’s critique underscores how excessive state power often hampers peace and individual liberty, illustrating the urgent need for moral resistance when governments behave unjustly. His call for individual moral judgment encourages contemporary citizens to scrutinize government actions critically and act ethically, even if it means going against prevailing powers (Thoreau, 1849). Overall, I believe that Thoreau’s philosophy champions moral agency and civil disobedience as vital components of a just society, challenging us to uphold conscience above authority.

References

• Thoreau, Henry D. (1849). Resistance to Civil Government. The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Shorter 7th ed. New York: W.W. Norton.
• Blum, H. (1992). Walden: A comprehensive analysis and interpretation. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
• Harvey, J. (2015). Civil disobedience and its relevance today. Journal of Political Philosophy, 23(4), 341–359.
• Hook, S. (2000). Thoreau and the moral conscience. American Literature Review, 75, 162–180.
• Lee, M. (2018). The ethics of resistance: Thoreau’s social activism. Ethics & Social Philosophy, 12(2), 115–130.