Henry David Thoreau harbored many anarchist thoughts toward government of the decades before the Civil War, which he about in the essay, "Civil Disobedience", which, in fact called "Resistance to Civil Government", giving the essay a that would not only reflect Thoreau's own views toward the also give the essay a powerful anti-slavery message, as whole idea of Civil Rights, as well as shape the leaders of In examining the essay, "Civil Disobedience", we must also into the reasoning of the essay. Henry David Thoreau lived a quiet life in asmall cabin he had built in Walden. Thoreau thought paying his taxes waswrong in principal, "Thoreau declares that he cannot associate with theAmerican government, because it is a slave's government" (BECK Index).Thoreau jails himself after being asked about taxes by the Constable ofConcord, Sam Staples, a friend of Thoreau. Thoreau refuses to pay the tax,and is only released after some family member pays the tax for him. Thoreauis infuriated that someone would pay his tax for him after he would not(About.com). Thoreau refuses to pay taxes due to their use in the Mexican War. As Thoreaudeclares "Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using thestanding government as their tool." Thoreau, "gives 'civil Disobedience' itsurgency... as a result of the leadership of imperialists like PresidentJames Polk and Southern planters who were determined to add new land totheir cotton culture, was making war on Mexico and would take away half its'territory" (Smith, 60). The action of the government is more like that of amonarchy to Thoreau. "Witness the present Mexican war, the work ofcomparatively few individuals," (Thoreau, 1). Thoreau speaks by the basicTranscendentalist though of self-reliance. Thoreau also, "questions the personal morality involved in the Mexican war" (Hildebidle,69). In "Civil Disobedience", we can see the stark contrasts between theattitude of the state and Toreau's o...
