What does Thoreau mean when he says that those who serve the state with their consciences resist it? To serve the state with one’s conscience means to be willing to criticize or resist the state when it does wrong.
What does Thoreau mean by "to serve the state"?
What does Thoreau say about slavery?
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What does Thoreau mean when he says that the mass of men serve the state not as men but as machines?
“The mass of men serve the State, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies.” By saying "the mass of men," Henry David Thoreau implies that most citizens serve the government in one way or another. The word serve suggests a lack of freedom, and the word machines suggests a lack of control and consciousness.
How did Thoreau believe that most men serve the state?
MAIN POINT 2: Most men serve the state mechanically and do not freely exercise moral judgment about their service. “The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies. They are the standing army, and the militia, jailers, constables, posse comitatus, etc.
What is the purpose of Thoreau's resistance to civil government?
Thoreau argued that the government must end its unjust actions to earn the right to collect taxes from its citizens. As long as the government commits unjust actions, he continued, conscientious individuals must choose whether to pay their taxes or to refuse to pay them and defy the government.
What is Thoreau's main point in Civil Disobedience?
Thoreau's Civil Disobedience espouses the need to prioritize one's conscience over the dictates of laws. It criticizes American social institutions and policies, most prominently slavery and the Mexican-American War.
How does Thoreau feel about the people who serve the state?
Thoreau explains that men who serve the state with their bodies or minds, but not their consciences, serve the state “as machines” who “rarely make any moral distinctions.” Those who do not serve the state with their conscience do not make their own ethical decisions, but rather, allow the state to dictate such ...
What is Thoreau's view of the state?
Thoreau writes of government as "an expedient by which men would fain succeed in letting one another alone." It exists by consent of the governed to ensure the individual freedom that allows the pursuit of deep living and high thinking.
What is Thoreau's perspective on resistance and rebellion?
In “Civil Disobedience” Thoreau not only calls for resistance to immoral and unjust government actions, he also criticizes the foundations of representative democracy — majority rule, voting, and representation.
What did Thoreau resist?
Resistance to Civil Government (1849), Henry David Thoreau. The United States went to war against Mexico in May 1846. That July, while living at Walden Pond, Thoreau refused to pay his poll tax as a protest against the conflict, for he saw the war as an effort to extend the realm of slavery.
When did Thoreau write Resistance to Civil Government?
1849Thoreau delivered the first draft of the treatise as an oration to the Concord Lyceum in 1848, and the text was published in 1849 under the title Resistance to Civil Government. The two major issues being debated in the United States during Thoreau's life were slavery and the Mexican-American War.
What is Thoreau's central message?
Thoreau's central message in Walden is to live simply, independently, and wisely. He suggests that people try to live free and uncommitted, away from things that overcomplicate life such as exchange economy and modern labor. He also emphasizes the importance of engaging with Nature as closely and directly as possible.
What is Thoreau's main point in conclusion?
Thoreau notes that doctors often recommend a change of scenery for the sick, but he slyly mocks this view, saying that the “universe is wider than our views of it.” He argues that it is perhaps a change of soul, rather than a change of landscape, that is needed.
What were Thoreau's main ideas?
As a self-described Transcendentalist, Thoreau believes in the individual's power to live an everyday life charged with meaning, and he has faith in self-reliance over societal institutions, focusing instead on the goodness of humankind and the profound lessons it can learn from nature.
What is the theme of Resistance to Civil Government?
Henry David Thoreau states in his essay, “Resistance to Civil Government,” that the reaction to an unfair government is to remove oneself from office if the government violates the moral human law.
What is the Resistance to Civil Government about summary?
Henry David Thoreau's 1849 essay ''Resistance to Civil Government,'' also called ''On the Duty of Civil Disobedience'' or simply ''Civil Disobedience,'' is an explanation of how and why Thoreau spent a night in jail for refusing to pay his poll tax as a protest against the Mexican-American war and the institution of ...
What is the purpose of Civil Disobedience by Thoreau quizlet?
He wanted to suggest that one should be willing to go to great lengths for a belief. Which best describes one way in which "Civil Disobedience" impacted people and events later in history? It fortified the beliefs of those who thought the government acted unfairly.
What is Thoreau's main point in conclusion?
Thoreau notes that doctors often recommend a change of scenery for the sick, but he slyly mocks this view, saying that the “universe is wider than our views of it.” He argues that it is perhaps a change of soul, rather than a change of landscape, that is needed.
What three ways did Thoreau say a citizen may serve the state ... - Blogger
We find Thoreau’s three categories of service outlined in paragraph 5 of “Civil Disobedience.” He is brutally honest with his opinions of all three.
Civil disobedience Thoreau Flashcards | Quizlet
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like How does Thoreau define the best possible kind of government?, ANALYZE what claim does Thoreau make about obligation as a citzen?, In the first paragraph, what distinction does Thoreau make between the government and the people? and more.
What three ways did Thoreau say a citizen may serve the state ... - eNotes
Thoreau believes the majority of men serve the state physically, or “as machines, with their bodies.”These individuals make up the military and police forces, and because they are unable to ...
What Are Three Ways Thoreau Says A Citizen Should Break And... | Cram
Civil Disobedience According to Thoreau conscience should be respected more than the law. 2)A citizen should break and unjust law. 3) Three ways Thoreau says a citizen should serve the state is -Body,Mind,Conscience 4) Thoreau's brand of non-conformity would be difficult to practice today if you don’t pay taxes or pay companies back like the irs .They’d come to your door at any moment.
Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau Flashcards | Quizlet
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like According to Thoreau, what should be respected more than the law?, What should a citizen do about an unjust law?, Lit three ways Thoreau says a citizen may serve the state. With which did Thoreau agree? and more.
Thoreau's Rhetorical Devices In 'Civil Disobedience' | ipl.org
Rhetorical Techniques in Henry David Thoreau's 'Civil Disobedience' 1273 Words | 6 Pages. Near the beginning of his renowned essay, "Civil Disobedience," Henry David Thoreau appeals to his fellow citizens when he says, "...I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government.
What does Thoreau mean by "to serve the state"?
To serve the state is to "go with the flow" and not disrupt anything. Thoreau also criticizes those who only oppose certain practices of the government in thought (i.e. continuing to sanction slavery), but do nothing that actually contributes to change.
What does Thoreau say about slavery?
Thoreau also criticizes those who only oppose certain practices of the government in thought (i.e. continuing to sanction slavery), but do nothing that actually contributes to change. "There are thousands who in opinion are opposed to slavery and to the war, who yet in effect do nothing to put an end to them . . . " As Thoreau says, they wait for someone else to fix the situation. Thus, to complain but do nothing further is to serve the state in practice.
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Did Hooper have the veil removed?
Hooper refused to have the veil removed.
Is it hypocritical to judge others on their past sins?
It is hypocritical to judge others on their past sins and all individuals are guilty of hidden sin.
Is there unity between the human spirit and the natural world?
There is unity between the human spirit and the natural world.
Can adults see nature?
According to Emerson "To speak truly, few adult persons can see nature. Note Most persons do not see the sun. At least they have a very superficial seeing. The sun illuminates only the eye of the man, but shines into the eye and the heart of the child." He means that...
Do men serve government with their conscience?
Most men don't serve government with their conscience but their intellect only.
What does Thoreau mean by "to serve the state"?
To serve the state is to "go with the flow" and not disrupt anything. Thoreau also criticizes those who only oppose certain practices of the government in thought (i.e. continuing to sanction slavery), but do nothing that actually contributes to change.
What does Thoreau say about slavery?
Thoreau also criticizes those who only oppose certain practices of the government in thought (i.e. continuing to sanction slavery), but do nothing that actually contributes to change. "There are thousands who in opinion are opposed to slavery and to the war, who yet in effect do nothing to put an end to them . . . " As Thoreau says, they wait for someone else to fix the situation. Thus, to complain but do nothing further is to serve the state in practice.
How long is the free trial for eNotes?
Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime.
What is a certified educator?
Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team.