Civil Disobedience - Article Example

Injustice cases are counted-friction to the government machine because when found to have broken a particular law then the person is put in prison for an unlimited period determined by the discretion of those who put one in the prison. Thoreau provides us with the story in jail so that we can visualize the poor rule of the state including its accusations for example Thoreau’s roommate was accused of burning a barn and the tedious trial process (Thoreau para 28-35). Thoreau being in jail made him have various thoughts because he had never expected to be held and to be in custody for one night was like a novel.

Thoreau (para 25) proposes that it is ironic for the state to order Thoreau to pay a certain sum to support a clergyman whose preaching was attended by Thoreau’s father. This is effective in exposing to us the weakness of the state power. The majority view of the government is that most governments carry out their activities with their expediency contrary to the minority as the basis of Thoreau's justice was a democracy (Thoreau para 45). A Chinese philosopher who regarded the individual as the basis of empire is not Lao-Tzu but there is progress toward individual respect and such democracy is yet to be witnessed. Read More