Thoreau's Perspective on Transcendentalism and Government

That Government Is Best which Governs Not at All Henry David Thoreau was an American author, philosopher and historian. The roots of the political views of Thoreau derive from Transcendentalism - a philosophy that became influential in the late 18th century and 19th century. Transcendentalism rejects the idea that knowledge can be fully derived from experience and observation of the physical world. American transcendentalism reached its peak in New England in the 1840s, under the leadership of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson argued that, while the physical world is important, providing us with necessary goods and frequent beauty, people should live their lives based on truths grasped through reason, not just physical perception. Emerson served

As it is, government rarely proves useful or efficient. It is often "abused and perverted" so that it no longer represents the will of the people. The Mexican-American War illustrates this phenomenon. Thoreau 's essay is both an abstract work of political theory and a practical and topical work addressing the issues of the day. On the one hand, Thoreau is making several theoretical claims about the nature of democracy and the relationship between citizen and government. For example, Thoreau argues that government should be based on conscience and that citizens should cease associating with an unjust government. Thus, Thoreau 's work must be considered as a work of political philosophy, invoking ideals and making claims about the way government and society should be

One of them was Leo Tolstoy who belief in nonviolence when faced by conflict. He stated, “I know that my unity with all people cannot be destroyed by national boundaries and government orders.” He also believed that the aristocracy was a burden on the poor, and that the only solution to how we live together is through anarchism. By directly influencing another great authority, Mahatma Gandhi , Tolstoy has had a huge influence on the nonviolent resistance movement to this day. They both share the opinion that,“ In all history there is no war which was not hatched by the governments, the governments alone, independent of the interests of the people, to whom war is always pernicious even when successful.” Also Emerson has tried to suggest in his essay “Politics” that the State is not superior to the citizens and that politics and government are created in the interest of its people and property. As a democratic government is of the people, for the people and by the people; thus the citizens must agree to it that we all want to be benefited in a form of government we choose to have. Emerson states that, the “moral identity of men” forms the roots of the government and “morality”, above all else, he asserted, “is the object of government.” However, Thoreau who was deeply skeptical about political administration rejects the