Question
29.
What does Henry David Thoreau mean when he calls government an “expedient” in “Civil Disobedience”?
Government is a necessary evil.
Government is a hopeless cause.
Government is a tool for the people to use when they need it.
Government is vitally important to the future of the nation.
What does Henry David Thoreau mean when he calls government an “expedient” in “Civil Disobedience”?
Government is a necessary evil.
Government is a hopeless cause.
Government is a tool for the people to use when they need it.
Government is vitally important to the future of the nation.
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
When Henry David Thoreau refers to government as an "expedient" in "Civil Disobedience," he is conveying the idea that government is a practical tool or means that should be used to facilitate order and justice in society, but it is not inherently virtuous or absolute. This aligns most closely with the interpretation that "Government is a tool for the people to use when they need it." Thoreau argues that government exists to serve the people, and when it fails to do so or becomes unjust, individuals have the right to resist and pursue their own moral compass.
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