# On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

Author: Thoreau, Henry David, 1817-1862

Genre: Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches

Language: English

License: Public domain

Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/71

Amazon editions: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=On+the+Duty+of+Civil+Disobedience+Thoreau&tag=cyberlibrar00-20

## Summary

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 st...

## Chapters

- [Part 1](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/on-the-duty-of-civil-disobedience-71/chapters/1/index.md)
- [Part 2](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/on-the-duty-of-civil-disobedience-71/chapters/2/index.md)
- [Part 3](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/on-the-duty-of-civil-disobedience-71/chapters/3/index.md)