oes Thoreau say that the rich are less likely to practice civil disobedience? [2019]
In his famous essay, “Civil Disobedience” (1849), Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) explains why the rich seldom resist the State. Wealth brings comfort, fear, and ties to power. The rich think first of property and safety. They avoid risk and prison. So, they rarely choose to engage in civil disobedience. Thoreau shows this with clear, sharp examples.
More to Lose: Rich people have much to lose in protest. Prison risks property and trade. The State may seize and waste goods. Families may suffer hardship and fear. So the rich keep quiet. Their caution blocks bold, moral action against wrong.
Wealth Weakens Virtue: Thoreau links wealth with moral decline. He writes,
“Absolutely speaking, the more money, the less virtue.”
Wealth turns minds to ease, not duty. Such softness avoids brave, public resistance.
Comfort over Conscience: Comfort changes a person’s habits and hopes. The rich love routine and peace. They fear shocks to business and home. Thoreau urges action, not comfort. He says,
“Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine.”
Yet comfort dulls that call. Ease makes courage late.
Tied to Institutions: To gain wealth, many serve institutions. They play by the rules of profit. Then they defend those rules, not justice. Their “vote” becomes private influence only. Thoreau warns,
“Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence.”
But wealth often narrows influence to self-interest. True sacrifice fades.
In conclusion, Thoreau’s view is calm and firm. The rich avoid civil disobedience because wealth breeds fear, comfort, and ties. It buys quiet, not courage. Thus, reform needs leaner lives and free minds. Only then can conscience lead steady, public action.
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