On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

Read
Iheartilyacceptthemotto,"Thatgovernmentisbestwhichgovernsleast";andIshouldliketoseeitacted
uptomorerapidlyandsystematically.Carriedout,itfinallyamountstothis,whichalsoIbelieve"That
governmentisbestwhichgovernsnotatall";andwhenmenarepreparedforit,thatwillbethekindof
governmentwhichtheywillhave.Governmentisatbestbutanexpedient;butmostgovernmentsare
usually,andallgovernmentsaresometimes,inexpedient.Theobjectionswhichhavebeenbrought
againstastandingarmy,andtheyaremanyandweighty,anddeservetoprevail,mayalsoatlastbe
broughtagainstastandinggovernment.Thestandingarmyisonlyanarmofthestandinggovernment.
Thegovernmentitself,whichisonlythemodewhichthepeoplehavechosentoexecutetheirwill,is
equallyliabletobeabusedandpervertedbeforethepeoplecanactthroughit.Witnessthepresent
Mexicanwar,theworkofcomparativelyafewindividualsusingthestandinggovernmentastheirtool;for
intheoutset,thepeoplewouldnothaveconsentedtothismeasure.
ThisAmericangovernmentwhatisitbutatradition,thougharecentone,endeavoringtotransmititself
unimpairedtoposterity,buteachinstantlosingsomeofitsintegrity?Ithasnotthevitalityandforceofa
singlelivingman;forasinglemancanbendittohiswill.Itisasortofwoodenguntothepeople
themselves.Butitisnotthelessnecessaryforthis;forthepeoplemusthavesomecomplicatedmachinery
orother,andhearitsdin,tosatisfythatideaofgovernmentwhichtheyhave.Governmentsshowthushow
successfullymencanbeimposedupon,evenimposeonthemselves,fortheirownadvantage.Itis
excellent,wemustallallow.Yetthisgovernmentneverofitselffurtheredanyenterprise,butbythe
alacritywithwhichitgotoutofitsway.Itdoesnotkeepthecountryfree.ItdoesnotsettletheWest.It
doesnoteducate.ThecharacterinherentintheAmericanpeoplehasdoneallthathasbeen
accomplished;anditwouldhavedonesomewhatmore,ifthegovernmenthadnotsometimesgotinits
way.Forgovernmentisanexpedient,bywhichmenwouldfainsucceedinlettingoneanotheralone;and,
ashasbeensaid,whenitismostexpedient,thegovernedaremostletalonebyit.Tradeandcommerce,if
theywerenotmadeofindia-rubber,wouldnevermanagetobounceoverobstacleswhichlegislatorsare
continuallyputtingintheirway;andifoneweretojudgethesemenwhollybytheeffectsoftheiractions
andnotpartlybytheirintentions,theywoulddeservetobeclassedandpunishedwiththosemischievious
personswhoputobstructionsontherailroads.
But,tospeakpracticallyandasacitizen,unlikethosewhocallthemselvesno-governmentmen,Iaskfor,
notatoncenogovernment,butatonceabettergovernment.Leteverymanmakeknownwhatkindof
governmentwouldcommandhisrespect,andthatwillbeonesteptowardobtainingit.
Afterall,thepracticalreasonwhy,whenthepowerisonceinthehandsofthepeople,amajorityare
permitted,andforalongperiodcontinue,toruleisnotbecausetheyaremostlikelytobeintheright,nor
becausethisseemsfairesttotheminority,butbecausetheyarephysicallythestrongest.Buta
governmentinwhichthemajorityruleinallcasescannotbebasedonjustice,evenasfarasmen

understandit.Cantherenotbeagovernmentinwhichthemajoritiesdonotvirtuallydeciderightand
wrong,butconscience?inwhichmajoritiesdecideonlythosequestionstowhichtheruleofexpediency
isapplicable?Mustthecitizeneverforamoment,orintheleastdegree,resignhisconsciencetothe
legislator?Whyhaseverymanaconsciencethen?Ithinkthatweshouldbemenfirst,andsubjects
afterward.Itisnotdesirabletocultivatearespectforthelaw,somuchasfortheright.Theonlyobligation
whichIhavearighttoassumeistodoatanytimewhatIthinkright.Itistrulyenoughsaidthata
corporationhasnoconscience;butacorporationofconscientiousmenisacorporationwithaconscience.
Lawnevermademenawhitmorejust;and,bymeansoftheirrespectforit,eventhewell-disposedare
dailymadetheagentsofinjustice.Acommonandnaturalresultofanunduerespectforthelawis,that
youmayseeafileofsoldiers,colonel,captain,corporal,privates,powder-monkeys,andall,marchingin
admirableorderoverhillanddaletothewars,againsttheirwills,ay,againsttheircommonsenseand
consciences,whichmakesitverysteepmarchingindeed,andproducesapalpitationoftheheart.They
havenodoubtthatitisadamnablebusinessinwhichtheyareconcerned;theyareallpeaceablyinclined.
Now,whatarethey?Menatall?orsmallmovablefortsandmagazines,attheserviceofsome
unscrupulousmaninpower?VisittheNavyYard,andbeholdamarine,suchamanasanAmerican
governmentcanmake,orsuchasitcanmakeamanwithitsblackartsamereshadowandreminiscence
ofhumanity,amanlaidoutaliveandstanding,andalready,asonemaysay,buriedunderarmswith
funeralaccompaniment,thoughitmaybe,
"Notadrumwasheard,notafuneralnote,
Ashiscorsetotherampartwehurried;
Notasoldierdischargedhisfarewellshot
O'erthegravewhereourherowasburied."
Themassofmenservethestatethus,notasmenmainly,butasmachines,withtheirbodies.Theyarethe
standingarmy,andthemilitia,jailers,constables,possecomitatus,etc.Inmostcasesthereisnofree
exercisewhateverofthejudgementorofthemoralsense;buttheyputthemselvesonalevelwithwood
andearthandstones;andwoodenmencanperhapsbemanufacturedthatwillservethepurposeaswell.
Suchcommandnomorerespectthanmenofstraworalumpofdirt.Theyhavethesamesortofworth
onlyashorsesanddogs.Yetsuchastheseevenarecommonlyesteemedgoodcitizens.Othersasmost
legislators,politicians,lawyers,ministers,andoffice-holdersservethestatechieflywiththeirheads;and,
astherarelymakeanymoraldistinctions,theyareaslikelytoservethedevil,withoutintendingit,asGod.
Averyfewasheroes,patriots,martyrs,reformersinthegreatsense,andmenservethestatewiththeir
consciencesalso,andsonecessarilyresistitforthemostpart;andtheyarecommonlytreatedasenemies
byit.Awisemanwillonlybeusefulasaman,andwillnotsubmittobe"clay,"and"stopaholetokeepthe
windaway,"butleavethatofficetohisdustatleast:
"Iamtoohighborntobepropertied,
Tobeasecondatcontrol,
Orusefulserving-manandinstrument
Toanysovereignstatethroughouttheworld."

Hewhogiveshimselfentirelytohisfellowmenappearstothemuselessandselfish;buthewhogives
himselfpartiallytotheminpronouncedabenefactorandphilanthropist.
HowdoesitbecomeamantobehavetowardtheAmericangovernmenttoday?Ianswer,thathecannot
withoutdisgracebeassociatedwithit.Icannotforaninstantrecognizethatpoliticalorganizationasmy
governmentwhichistheslave'sgovernmentalso.Allmenrecognizetherightofrevolution;thatis,the
righttorefuseallegianceto,andtoresist,thegovernment,whenitstyrannyoritsinefficiencyaregreat
andunendurable.Butalmostallsaythatsuchisnotthecasenow.Butsuchwasthecase,theythink,inthe
Revolutionof'75.Ifoneweretotellmethatthiswasabadgovernmentbecauseittaxedcertainforeign
commoditiesbroughttoitsports,itismostprobablethatIshouldnotmakeanadoaboutit,forIcando
withoutthem.Allmachineshavetheirfriction;andpossiblythisdoesenoughgoodtocounter-balancethe
evil.Atanyrate,itisagreateviltomakeastiraboutit.Butwhenthefrictioncomestohaveitsmachine,
andoppressionandrobberyareorganized,Isay,letusnothavesuchamachineanylonger.Inother
words,whenasixthofthepopulationofanationwhichhasundertakentobetherefugeoflibertyare
slaves,andawholecountryisunjustlyoverrunandconqueredbyaforeignarmy,andsubjectedtomilitary
law,Ithinkthatitisnottoosoonforhonestmentorebelandrevolutionize.Whatmakesthisdutythemore
urgentisthatfactthatthecountrysooverrunisnotourown,butoursistheinvadingarmy.
...
Therearethousandswhoareinopinionopposedtoslaveryandtothewar,whoyetineffectdonothingto
putanendtothem;who,esteemingthemselveschildrenofWashingtonandFranklin,sitdownwiththeir
handsintheirpockets,andsaythattheyknownotwhattodo,anddonothing;whoevenpostponethe
questionoffreedomtothequestionoffreetrade,andquietlyreadtheprices-currentalongwiththelatest
advicesfromMexico,afterdinner,and,itmaybe,fallasleepoverthemboth.Whatistheprice-currentof
anhonestmanandpatriottoday?Theyhesitate,andtheyregret,andsometimestheypetition;buttheydo
nothinginearnestandwitheffect.Theywillwait,welldisposed,forothertoremedytheevil,thattheymay
nolongerhaveittoregret.Atmost,theygiveuponlyacheapvote,andafeeblecountenanceand
Godspeed,totheright,asitgoesbythem.Thereareninehundredandninety-ninepatronsofvirtueto
onevirtuousman.Butitiseasiertodealwiththerealpossessorofathingthanwiththetemporary
guardianofit.
Allvotingisasortofgaming,likecheckersorbackgammon,withaslightmoraltingetoit,aplayingwith
rightandwrong,withmoralquestions;andbettingnaturallyaccompaniesit.Thecharacterofthevotersis
notstaked.Icastmyvote,perchance,asIthinkright;butIamnotvitallyconcernedthatthatrightshould
prevail.Iamwillingtoleaveittothemajority.Itsobligation,therefore,neverexceedsthatofexpediency.
Evenvotingfortherightisdoingnothingforit.Itisonlyexpressingtomenfeeblyyourdesirethatitshould
prevail.Awisemanwillnotleavetherighttothemercyofchance,norwishittoprevailthroughthepower
ofthemajority.Thereisbutlittlevirtueintheactionofmassesofmen.Whenthemajorityshallatlength
votefortheabolitionofslavery,itwillbebecausetheyareindifferenttoslavery,orbecausethereisbut
littleslaverylefttobeabolishedbytheirvote.Theywillthenbetheonlyslaves.Onlyhisvotecanhasten
theabolitionofslaverywhoassertshisownfreedombyhisvote.