POLC71H3 Chapter : Thoreau Summarized
Document Summary
According to thoreau, a man has an obligation to act according to the dictates of his conscience, even if the latter goes against majority opinion, the presiding leadership, or the laws of society: thoreau challenges that idea that democracy is the source of legitimacy, democracy is used as a way to legitimize the state but when the subjects are manipulated to become virtually mindless, is it a true democracy, citizens give up their own judgment & allow the state to judge for them, they become morally numb, rejects this idea of the general will, does not believe that a majority necessitates better moral judgment, argues that democracy is based on force, opposes representation: all voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and wrong, with moral questions; and betting naturally accompanies it.
