Resistance To Civil Government By Henry David Thoreau

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A government that creates laws and imposes extreme punishment to all who disobey those laws is a government that restricts individualism and true freedom. One of the many principals of Transcendentalism is the belief of individualism and personal freedoms. Famous transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau believes that doing what is right rather than legal, is completely justified if the law is morally unjust. A famous quote from Henry David Thoreau’s essay “Resistance to Civil Government” reads “I think that we should be men first and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation which I have a right to assume, is to do at any time what I think right.” The idea of breaking …show more content…

The idea that because something is law makes it right has become the mentality of many because why would the government pass a law that isn’t right? When laws are passed, they are supposed to be passed with the intent to make the nation a better place for all. Sadly, that is not always the case. For example, unfair laws towards women and people of color in the early nineteen hundreds were passed, discriminating against millions. While people of today can agree that those restrictive laws were unjust, many followed the law without question because that was their civil duty and if it’s law, it must be right. This mindset imposed by the government manipulates personal ideals and morals without …show more content…

Instead, the law should encourage good morals and values along with the acceptance of a justified disagreement. Henry David Thoreau says, “The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right,” encouraging the resistance to government instead of the violation of personal beliefs. Respect for a law that is not just is not respect at all, but encroachment on individual freedom. This individualistic way of thinking allows people to make changes and follow their intuitions for the

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