Civil Disobedience and the Abusive Power of GovernmentIn response to the 1845 annexation of Texas by the United States, Henry David Thoreau wrote the essay Civil Disobedience. Thoreau believed that this purely economic measure by the United States had accelerated the Civil War, something he and many Americans disapproved of. In his essay, Thoreau argues that the government should not control the people and that the people should be able to freely govern themselves as they see fit. Furthermore, it clearly states and emphasizes that in many cases it is better for individual rights to take precedence over state authority. Very often, the best authors, whether a novel or an essay, clearly state their opinions and facts using various literary techniques and devices. By reading Thoreau's other works, such as excerpts from Walden and Excursions, I was able to infer that he had his own unique and unparalleled writing style. Most ordinary, mundane writers begin their essays with long, tedious descriptions of the point they are trying to convey. But like all great writers and thinkers, Thoreau begins his essay with a powerful and captivating sentence: “The best government is that which governs the least” (222). Thoreau's opening line grabs and lets the reader know what topic(s) the essay will address. It turns out that this opening sentence forms the basis for the rest of his essay, as he encourages individuals to take responsibility for keeping the government in constant check. He believes that the best way for a country and its people to survive is for individuals to be willing to exercise control over the government and not be governed like sheep. Part of Thoreau's writing style includes using examples to justify his op...... middle of paper ...that we fight for. When speaking about the evils of slavery, Thoreau declared that "When the majority finally votes for the abolition of slavery, it will be because they are indifferent to slavery, or because there no longer remains that little slavery to be abolished by his vote. . They will then be the only slaves. Only his vote will be able to hasten the abolition of slavery which will affirm by its vote its own freedom” (226). As a dedicated abolitionist, he believes that only individuals hold the power to end slavery. He believes that the government cannot be counted on to end slavery because it thinks as a whole and not as individuals. In concluding his essay, Thoreau's main point is that individual power should be greater than that of the government. Thoreau's observation: "The best government is that which governs least" remains as true today as the day it was written..