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Henry David Thoreau, "Civil Disobedience," 1848
To the tensions bred by conflict between sectionalism and nationalism, Thoreau adds the force of the resolute individual. In this piece Thoreau explores how an individual should respond to a state that acts unjustly—specifically to a state that supports slavery, invades Mexico, and implicates every citizen in these acts through the imposition of taxes. His perspective on these issues is completely different from those of Calhoun, Webster, Clay, and Seward. Implicit in their arguments is the assumption that government, while it may function badly at times, is nonetheless legitimate and valuable. Thoreau disagrees. He calls into question the very idea of government. He rails against the expediency that directs the actions of government and claims that, a machine itself, government reduces men to machines. According to Thoreau, when the machine of government produces injustice, it is the citizen's duty not simply to petition for change but to act. "Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine." 19 pages.
Discussion questions
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How might Calhoun have used Thoreau's arguments to defend the South? |
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Cast against the state of the Union as portrayed by Calhoun, Webster, Clay, and Seward, how would you evaluate Thoreau's attack on political expediency?
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How does Thoreau's attitude toward the Constitution differ from that of Calhoun, Webster, Clay, and Seward?
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Reading highlights
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Note the similarity between Thoreau's view of the character of the American people and Seward's. |
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Note the machine imagery in the essay. |
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Note his assessment of Webster.
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