The Role of the individual in deciding right from wrong:
"Can there not be a government in which majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong but conscience-?" Throughout the whole work Thoreau says that the individual's duty is to the government but if the laws that they lay down are unjust and unfair to them then they have the right to do what is best for all civilians. If it means amending these laws or even not obeying them. "The authority of government, even such as I am willing to submit to — for I will cheerfully obey those who know and can do better than I, and in many things even those who neither know nor can do so well — is still an impure one: to be strictly just, it must have the sanction and consent of the governed." This quote is good because it says that those being governed do need to obey the rules set down by the leaders, however if they do not agree with what is being said then they have the ability to decide what is right from what is wrong and stand up and fight the decisions. Overall the common man is given a lot of freedom, when it comes to voting and how their morals of right and wrong help them decide how to vote and also when it comes to government itself. Yes, they are being governed, but they also have the knowledge of right and wrong to decide if what is being done acceptable for everyone's needs.
"Can there not be a government in which majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong but conscience-?" Throughout the whole work Thoreau says that the individual's duty is to the government but if the laws that they lay down are unjust and unfair to them then they have the right to do what is best for all civilians. If it means amending these laws or even not obeying them. "The authority of government, even such as I am willing to submit to — for I will cheerfully obey those who know and can do better than I, and in many things even those who neither know nor can do so well — is still an impure one: to be strictly just, it must have the sanction and consent of the governed." This quote is good because it says that those being governed do need to obey the rules set down by the leaders, however if they do not agree with what is being said then they have the ability to decide what is right from what is wrong and stand up and fight the decisions. Overall the common man is given a lot of freedom, when it comes to voting and how their morals of right and wrong help them decide how to vote and also when it comes to government itself. Yes, they are being governed, but they also have the knowledge of right and wrong to decide if what is being done acceptable for everyone's needs.