Civil Disobedience
Essay
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Henry David Thoreau
Civil Disobedience Summary
Summary
The Nature and Motto of Government: Thoreau begins his essay with a famous statement: “That government is best which governs least.” In other words, the best government is the one that interferes the least. He says that government is merely an “expedient,” meaning a kind of instrument or mechanism. But this mechanism often becomes unjust and harmful. Instead of protecting people’s freedom,...
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Civil Disobedience Theme
Themes:
Supremacy of Conscience and Morality: The central theme of Thoreau’s essay is that human conscience and morality stand above all laws and governments. He argues that a person’s first duty is obedience to truth and justice, not to the orders of the state. If a law supports injustice, obeying it becomes a sin. According to Thoreau, moral conscience is the true guide of human life. He decl...
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Notes
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