Thoreau Ethics Studies Essay

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Thoreau (ethic Studies)

How Thoreau sees the government: His vision of justice

Thoreau's essay "Civil Disobedience" was written after the Transcendentalist author was imprisoned for refusing to pay his taxes in protest against the Mexican-American War. In his essay, Thoreau demanded that America become once again a truly free government, for the people and by the people. Thoreau believed in minimal government, given that all government leaders tend to set policy based upon their own interests, not true justice. The Founding Fathers had wanted the American government to have relatively little power, to avoid the new nation descending into European-style tyranny. But Thoreau believed that America's new, expansionist policy was an example of the fact that America had forgotten that the government that governs best, governs least (or not at all).

Government should merely exist to serve the people, not its own ends, argues Thoreau.

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Given this idea, slavery is immoral, as it deprives people of their liberty. When a government acts against the principles of the people, it should be resisted and overthrown. That is what the Founding Fathers did, in resistance to the British Crown. So why are not more Americans doing the same thing, in opposition to the American government's support of slavery and its immoral war against Mexico, asks Thoreau? People say that they cannot do anything, but they can.

Thoreau is profoundly distrustful of the conventional democratic process. He compares voting to gambling. Voting does not do something concrete to change people's lives. You cast a vote, and hope that the person you vote for does what he says he will do. Thoreau sees his refusal to pay taxes….....

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