Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience
1. What conclusion can be drawn regarding the quote, “Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient”?
A. Government is the necessary evil that is merely convenient on the short run; however, a majority of governments are not beneficial toward the people and it fails to pertain to the service of the community.
B. No individual should sacrifice their moral principles in return for unjust circumstances implemented amongst federal government.
C. In a democracy, the most virtuous and thoughtful group are regarded their desires rather than the majority group.
D. Thoreau illustrates the importance of asserting ethical principles, rather than government policy.
2. Which of the following would be the best example of a paradox?
A. “He who gives himself entirely to his fellow-men appears to them useless and selfish; but he who gives himself partially to them is pronounced a benefactor and philanthropist.”
B. "A drab of state, a cloth-o'-silver slut,
To have her train borne up, and her soul trail in the dirt."
C. “..to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men”
D. "I am too high-born to be propertied,
To be a secondary at control,”
3. What conclusion can be drawn on Thoreau’s perspective of soldiers?
A. They are symbolic heroic figures that participate in ethical principles.
B. They comply to government laws in order preserve the services we enjoy today.
C. A product of the government that doesn’t exercise moral sense.
D. The good citizens of our nation that are predominantly responsible for the freedom we are granted.
4. Which of the following would be a best example of ...
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... with their bodies.”
D. “In their practice, nations agree with Paley; but does anyone think that Massachusetts does exactly what is right at the present crisis?”
14. What statements support Thoreau’s interpretation of “Civil Disobedience”?
A. He interprets “Civil Disobedience” as a willful resistance to disobey hypocritical laws implemented by the government.
B. The Emancipation Proclamation of slaves in 1862
C. Making amends with former adversaries/rivalries
D. Establishing the most desirable government with extreme regulations and laws intact.
15. What motive is there in Thoreau’s theories?
A. To establish an idea of how individuals should generally behave within our society.
B. To persuade the readers to rebel against the United States
C. To inform readers about the injustices of the Mexican War.
D. To inform readers about the injustices of slavery
c. construing the savings to suitors clause – eg, what types of cases does Congress mean to say that we only want federal courts sitting in admiralty to have jurisdiction over?
describing citizenship, its importance in his point of view. So what is considered a strong and
7. Do you think the President should have the power to break the law, or the power to direct others to break the law?
Throughout history there have been significant debates, theories and agendas set forward as to what the best form of government is. Many of those individuals and groups who have written on the topic have their critics because they offer points that are highly controversial in theory and problematic when put into practice. John Locke and Publius, which is the collective name for Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay, both published essays with regards to the nature of government and largely championed the notion of democracy. With Locke writing on constitutional government in England and Publius writing on and essentially establishing governmental mechanisms in the United States, both parties inspired the rise of liberalism and democratic government in the modern world (Tinder, 67). However, there are questions to be asked of them and indeed comparisons to be made. This essay will examine the arguments set forth by Publius and Locke with a view to proving that they do indeed champion strong government and arguably exclude arbitrary governmental traits that may constrain attempts to do what is best for the individual rather than the people as a whole. In effect, the constraints they put in place in their texts established a balance of power that had its limits and weaknesses but ultimately appeared to be fair.
To the extent that we support individual rights of expression, argument and criticism, we make claims inconsistent with a view of democracy founded on the absolute sovereignty of the people as a whole. (1982, p. 41)
A. How can this group be described based on their presence OR absence in the text?
What does this mean? What is Thoreau telling us? Is it not the government who force upon its citizen its laws and rules, for its "own advantage"? So, Why is Thoreau saying that its citizens are, as well as responsible and accountable for the existence of an inexpedient government? Indeed,
In Henry Thoreau’s essay, Resistance to Civil Government, the harmless actions he takes to rebel against the government are considered acts of civil disobedience. He talks about how the government acts wrongful such as, slavery and the Mexican-American war. This writing persuades Nathaniel Heatwole, a twenty-year-old college student studying at Guildford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, to take matters into his own hands, by smuggling illegal items on multiple Southwest airplanes. The reason in that being, is to show the people that our nation is unsafe and dangerous. In doing this, he takes his rebellion one step too far, by not only jeopardizing his life, but as well as many other innocent lives.
B. This quote shows how a person who rides trains and changes schools a lot knows about social stereotypes at schools. The quote explains quite clearly that there are many different types of people in all places that sets others apart. Everybody has a different preference on who they want to be friends with, but usually they choose somebody
Above our right to be governed is our right to a clear conscience, the ability to ensure this is the most inalienable right endowed to us by our Creator. This right should be exploited in all circumstances possible, especially in those which our government tells us we are wrong. Peaceful resistance and civil disobedience are not only positives to a free society, they are necessary for a free society to exist..
...e. Hence, the government present should consider the welfare of the people and the life on innocent lives at most.
A2. Whatever has the capacity to consciously and radically change the community in which it lives is morally superior to whatever lacks this capacity.
c) That all individuals are equal before that law. Kant pointed out that a free citizenry will rarely consent to war since they suffer the costs and calamities of war. Kant defined despotism to be “the autonomous execution by the state of laws which it has itself decreed”. If there is no effective separation of executive and legislative powers, Democracies are despotic. Nations where politicians can break laws with impunity are not consequently democratic nations.
2. Do political and governmental elected politicians represent the general population or a small segment of the society?
C - Learning English does not contradict with any logic to being responsive to the needs of the many.