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On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

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  • On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

    Thoreau: On the Duty of Civil Disobedience


    A classic well worth reading and reading again.


    I heartily accept the motto, "That government is best which governs least"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe--"That government is best which governs not at all"; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have. Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient. The objections which have been brought against a standing army, and they are many and weighty, and deserve to prevail, may also at last be brought against a standing government. The standing army is only an arm of the standing government. The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will, is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it. Witness the present Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as their tool; for in the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure.

    This American government--what is it but a tradition, though a recent one, endeavoring to transmit itself unimpaired to posterity, but each instant losing some of its integrity? It has not the vitality and force of a single living man; for a single man can bend it to his will. It is a sort of wooden gun to the people themselves. But it is not the less necessary for this; for the people must have some complicated machinery or other, and hear its din, to satisfy that idea of government which they have. Governments show thus how successfully men can be imposed upon, even impose on themselves, for their own advantage. It is excellent, we must all allow. Yet this government never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way. It does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if the government had not sometimes got in its way. For government is an expedient, by which men would fain succeed in letting one another alone; and, as has been said, when it is most expedient, the governed are most let alone by it. Trade and commerce, if they were not made of India-rubber, would never manage to bounce over obstacles which legislators are continually putting in their way; and if one were to judge these men wholly by the effects of their actions and not partly by their intentions, they would deserve to be classed and punished with those mischievious persons who put obstructions on the railroads.

    But, to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men, I ask for, not at one no government, but at once a better government. Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it.

    After all, the practical reason why, when the power is once in the hands of the people, a majority are permitted, and for a long period continue, to rule is not because they are most likely to be in the right, nor because this seems fairest to the minority, but because they are physically the strongest. But a government in which the majority rule in all cases can not be based on justice, even as far as men understand it. Can there not be a government in which the majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong, but conscience?--in which majorities decide only those questions to which the rule of expediency is applicable? Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience, then? I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right. It is truly enough said that a corporation has no conscience; but a corporation of conscientious men is a corporation with a conscience. Law never made men a whit more just; and, by means of their respect for it, even the well-disposed are daily made the agents of injustice. A common and natural result of an undue respect for the law is, that you may see a file of soldiers, colonel, captain, corporal, privates, powder-monkeys, and all, marching in admirable order over hill and dale to the wars, against their wills, ay, against their common sense and consciences, which makes it very steep marching indeed, and produces a palpitation of the heart. They have no doubt that it is a damnable business in which they are concerned; they are all peaceably inclined. Now, what are they? Men at all? or small movable forts and magazines, at the service of some unscrupulous man in power? Visit the Navy Yard, and behold a marine, such a man as an American government can make, or such as it can make a man with its black arts--a mere shadow and reminiscence of humanity, a man laid out alive and standing, and already, as one may say, buried under arms with funeral accompaniment, though it may be, -

    "Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note, As his corse to the rampart we hurried;
    Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot O'er the grave where our hero we buried."

    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. In most cases there is no free exercise whatever of the judgement or of the moral sense; but they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and stones; and wooden men can perhaps be manufactured that will serve the purpose as well.
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  • #2
    Re: On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

    I think civil disobedience deserves much more discussion. However let's not point the finger solely at the military for civil disobedience. What are YOU the citizens doing for civil disobedience?

    Are you dutifully paying your federal taxes to fund those that steal from us or do violence abroad? What about your "property" taxes? Do you easily pay all your fines to the government when given a speeding ticket or parking ticket without fighting back? Do you see the injustice in those rules? Do you inform your fellow citizens of all the laws the law enforcers are breaking? Do you stand for the 2-party control mechanism and cast your ballot for the lesser of 2 evils? How much do you care?

    Each of us must push our own boundaries when it comes to civil disobedience - but if we all do a little bit - the current corrupt system will break. That does not guarantee peace and prosperity but the current path does guarantee continued corruption, war and wealth redistribution to the oligarchs.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

      Originally posted by abexman View Post
      I think civil disobedience deserves much more discussion. However let's not point the finger solely at the military for civil disobedience. What are YOU the citizens doing for civil disobedience?

      Are you dutifully paying your federal taxes to fund those that steal from us or do violence abroad? What about your "property" taxes? Do you easily pay all your fines to the government when given a speeding ticket or parking ticket without fighting back? Do you see the injustice in those rules? Do you inform your fellow citizens of all the laws the law enforcers are breaking? Do you stand for the 2-party control mechanism and cast your ballot for the lesser of 2 evils? How much do you care?

      Each of us must push our own boundaries when it comes to civil disobedience - but if we all do a little bit - the current corrupt system will break. That does not guarantee peace and prosperity but the current path does guarantee continued corruption, war and wealth redistribution to the oligarchs.
      The problem is that since the successful implementation by the Chinese of using the media to show that violators will be punished severely -the US has followed suit. The New Hampshire case on not paying the IRS -the Browns (Ithink their names were) , etc are used to show that one can not have the temerity to not pay taxes. The ridiculous rules that a fool who buys a trivial lien has more say on your house than you do -is just one example. There is no choice but abandonment.

      The question is where -as the financial hegemony via WTO and other supra-national associations have made it sure that there is no place to go to. The last bastion Switzlerland was recently knocked down hard enough (for the upper middle class) that hiding money there is gone as well. We now live in a global environment where you either lend the government money for 2 percent , pya taxes up the wazoo and are indirectly taxed to death via property, 'violations' etc.

      Non-cooperation premises are now illegal and result in incarceration -that is another tax-payer subsidized business. People simply can ot be galvanized to such large scale action because most have succumbed to the siren of debt and few have the courage to sustain themselves at a subsistence level.

      Its loose -loose and hence the French Revolution was born. Where is Robespierre when you really need him.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

        Originally posted by iyamwutiam View Post
        Non-cooperation premises are now illegal and result in incarceration -that is another tax-payer subsidized business. People simply can ot be galvanized to such large scale action because most have succumbed to the siren of debt and few have the courage to sustain themselves at a subsistence level.
        I saw some statistics somewhere that I cannot find to reference now that there were many million of unfiled income tax returns if you are to believe the gap between the census numbers (deducing employed adults) and the number of income tax filers. The chances of getting caught are also supposedly in the single digit percentages.

        I am not advocating that people be so bold as to not file your taxes. I think part of the success of not filing is people who are outside the system entirely. Most who have filed are already in the system.

        However, I think people should come up with creative ways to stick it to the system - at a smaller scale. Again, the idea is to expand one's comfort zone a bit. Join the National Motorists Association & fight traffic infractions. Don't cooperate with authorities without good reason - you don't need to answer their questions. Keep video recording devices handy. Go fishing without a permit. Refuse to pay some minor fine and let them put you in jail a night. For each their limits might be different but a small contribution from many sources will do wonders.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

          Originally posted by abexman View Post
          Go fishing without a permit.
          In certain states for certain fishing or hunting violations the park rangers, or wildlife management, or whatever you call them, can actually seize your property on the spot, rods, reels, equipment, even your car. Sometimes for minor things, or whatever they please. I have heard of this happening more than once in NJ.

          Think about it, they may be able to do more a regular police officer could.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

            Originally posted by abexman View Post
            I saw some statistics somewhere that I cannot find to reference now that there were many million of unfiled income tax returns if you are to believe the gap between the census numbers (deducing employed adults) and the number of income tax filers. The chances of getting caught are also supposedly in the single digit percentages.

            I am not advocating that people be so bold as to not file your taxes. I think part of the success of not filing is people who are outside the system entirely. Most who have filed are already in the system.

            However, I think people should come up with creative ways to stick it to the system - at a smaller scale. Again, the idea is to expand one's comfort zone a bit. Join the National Motorists Association & fight traffic infractions. Don't cooperate with authorities without good reason - you don't need to answer their questions. Keep video recording devices handy. Go fishing without a permit. Refuse to pay some minor fine and let them put you in jail a night. For each their limits might be different but a small contribution from many sources will do wonders.
            I urge people not to do this. If you do not file your taxes -the IRS files fo you and issues a tax liability in absentia (if you have a job-where the income is reported a business etc). So in short - they will sit on this and assess you at 18% a year - there are numerous court precedent's stating the IRS has the right to tax you whether you like or not.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

              Choose your poison. We are all going to have to get a lot more comfortable breaking the law, since we know not which laws we break just going about our everyday business. As I posted here, the average American breaks many federal laws everyday, and....
              The only thing keeping them out of prison — make that keeping you out of prison — is the fact that federal prosecutors haven’t looked at you yet
              That is not to speak of the many laws and rules we break at the state and local level. I would imagine that most business owners probably break multiples more laws than the average American all the time, since they have so many more laws encroached upon them.

              http://www.itulip.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12625

              So you can crawl into a ball and hide under your bed or you can learn to disobey and enjoy it. They can't put us all in prison.... yet.

              Comment

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