Thoreau’s use of expedient and inexpedient suggests that he is skeptical and critical of government. He says government is “at best but an expedient” (part 1, par. 1), which means
that government can solve a problem or achieve a goal in certain cases, but it cannot do anything more.
What does Thoreau mean when he writes it does not keep the country free it does not settle the West it does not educate?
It does not settle the West. It does not educate.” Thoreau’s
strong feeling about the government in his piece
amplifies his distaste for it. Thoreau makes a good point about how most individuals allow the government to regulate them. They may not like the government, but they will do nothing to change it.
What does Thoreau mean when he says government is at best an expedient but most governments are usually and all governments are sometimes inexpedient?
What does Thoreau mean when he writes, “Government is at best an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient?”a. Thoreau means that
the government does better when they are not involved in an issue
. They are better when the government stays out of it.
What is the meaning of government according to Thoreau?
Thoreau refers to the government as an expedient. What does he mean? He means
the government is practical and convenient, but may be immoral
.
What is the meaning of the words expedient and inexpedient as used in the text?
Define the word expedient (noun) and inexpedient (adj). An expedient is “a means of coming to an end”. Inexpedient means “
not suitable or advisable
.”
What topic is Henry David Thoreau’s Resistance to Civil Government primarily about?
Here topic is Henry David Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government” primarily about
the government and its role in an individuals life
. On the other hand it provides you best and effective solution to move forward with no risk.
What does Thoreau mean when he states I ask for not at once no government but at once a better government?
It is often “abused and perverted” so that it no longer represents the will of the people. “But, to speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men, I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government. … Rather, for
the moment
, he is asking for a better government.
What does the standing army is only an arm of the 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.
Does civil disobedience have to be peaceful?
By some definitions, civil disobedience has to be nonviolent to be called “civil”. Hence, civil disobedience
is sometimes equated with peaceful protests or nonviolent resistance
.
What type of government does Thoreau say is best?
The phrase “that government is
best which governs least
” is often credited to Henry David Thoreau, in his 1849 “Civil Disobedience,” or “Resistance to Civil Government.” (It’s also sometimes credited to Thomas Jefferson or John Locke, but although it might capture well some of their thinking, to my knowledge it doesn’t …
What does Thoreau use as a metaphor for government?
Thoreau’s metaphor for the government in “Civil Disobedience” is
a machine
. Just like a machine, the government has problems that can cause it to break, like friction within its structure.
Why does Thoreau compare the government to a machine?
Thoreau compares the government, or “state,” to a machine
to highlight how the government can cause individuals to ignore their own conscience and become complicit in immoral acts
. They become part of a machine that “produces” slavery and warfare.
What’s the meaning of Malapropos?
:
in an inappropriate or inopportune way
.
What is the definition of inexpedient?
: not expedient :
inadvisable
.
What is the meaning of tactlessly?
:
tending to offend or upset people
: not showing or having tact. See the full definition for tactless in the English Language Learners Dictionary. tactless. adjective. tact·less | ˈtakt-ləs
What did Thoreau believe?
Thoreau’s attitude toward reform involved his
transcendental
efforts to live a spiritually meaningful life in nature. As a transcendentalist, Thoreau believed that reality existed only in the spiritual world, and the solution to people’s problems was the free development of emotions (“Transcendentalism”).
