Thoreaus Civil noncompliance Major Themes Civil Government and high(prenominal) Law. In Civil Disobedience, Thoreaus basic premise is that a higher natural law than civil law de valet de chambreds the obedience of the individual. Human law and government are subordinate. In cases where the two are at odds with one anformer(a), the individual essential follow his conscience and, if necessary, disregard human law. Thoreau prepared his lecture and essay on resistance to civil government in response to a specific event?the Mexican War, which was declared in whitethorn of 1846, and which was expected to result in the expansion of slave territory. He was not particularly inclined to devote much model to political theory and reform. He writes in Civil Disobedience: . . . the government does not concern me much, and I shall bestow the few possible thoughts on it. It is not many moments that I experience under a government, even in this world. If a man is thought-free [free in his thinking], fancy-free, imagination-free, that which is not never for a long clock time appearing to be to him, unwise rulers or reformers cannot fatally soften him. The search for understanding of universal laws forms the proper use of a mans time, energy, and intellect. Thoreau writes dismissively of conscious reform: I have other affairs to attend to.

I came into this world, not chiefly to diagnose this a good place to feel in, but to live in it, be it good or bad. However, circumstances get at it impossible to live life as usual without rail at to morality and conscience: It is not a mans duty, as a matter of course, to devote himself to the eradication of any, even the nigh enormous wrong; he may still the right way have other concerns to engage him; but it is his duty, at least, to lavation his hands of it, and, if he refunds it no thought longer, not to give it practically his support. If I devote myself to other pursuits and contemplations, I must first see, at least, that I do not trail them sitting upon another mans shoulders. I must get... If you postulate to get a full essay, order it on our website:
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