Walden

Civil Disobedience Summary: Thoreau begins by arguing that government rarely proves itself useful and that it derives its power from the majority because they are the strongest group, not because they are the most correct. He believes that people's first obligation is to do what they believe is right and not to follow the law dictated by the majority. Basically, person is not obligated to devote his life to eliminating evils, but she or he is obligated not to participate in such evils. This includes not being a member of an unjust government. Thoreau argues that the united states fits his criteria for an unjust government, of slavery and its practice of aggressive war [the Mexican war].