CivilDisobedience
亨利·大衛·梭羅/HenryDavidThoreau
亨利·大衛·梭羅（1817—1862），雜文家、詩人、自然主義者、改革家和哲學家。生於馬薩諸塞州的康科德，畢業於哈佛大學，曾擔任中學校長。1846年7月，梭羅居住在瓦爾登湖邊時，當地的警官找到他，讓他支付投票稅，儘管數年來他已經行使了這項權利，但是梭羅拒絕支付稅款。當夜，警官把他關在康科德的監獄裡。第二天，梭羅的姨母幫他繳清稅款，他便獲釋了。不過，他表明了他的觀點：他不能向一個容許奴隸制存在並且侵略他國（墨西哥）的政府交稅。他於1849年發表了下面這篇演說稿，為自己的行為進行辯護。當時，這篇文章沒有引起什麼反響。但是到了19世紀末，這篇文章卻成為公認的經典之作，並贏得國際性的聲譽。列夫·托爾斯泰、聖雄甘地、馬丁·路德·金等人都對它推崇備至。
AceintheHole
Understandthesenewwordsbeforeyoureadthisarticle.
1.systematicallyadv.有組織地;有計劃地;有條不紊地
2.inexpedientadj.不妥當的;不適當的;不明智的
3.sanctionn.批准,認可
4.monarchyn.君主統治,君主制度；君主國
Iheartilyacceptthemotto,「Thatgovernmentisbestwhichgovernsleast」,andIshouldliketoseeitacteduptomorerapidlyandsystematically.Carriedout,itfinallyamountstothis,whichalsoIbelieve,「Thatgovernmentisbestwhichgovernsnotatall」,andwhenmenarepreparedforit,thatwillbethekindofgovernmentwhichthewillhave.Governmentisatbestbutanexpedient;butmostgovernmentsareusually,andallgovernmentsaresometimes,inexpedient.Theobjectionswhichhavebeenbroughtagainstastandingarmy,andtheyaremanyandweighty,anddeservetoprevail,mayalsoatlastbebroughtagainstastandinggovernment.Thestandingarmyisonlyanarmofthestandinggovernment.Thegovernmentitself,whichisonlythemodewhichthepeoplehavechosentoexecutetheirwill,isequallyliabletobeabusedandpervertedbeforethepeoplecanactthroughit.WitnessthepresentMexicanwar,theworkofcomparativelyafewindividualsusingthestandinggovernmentastheirtool;forintheoutset,thepeoplewouldnothaveconsentedtothismeasure.
ThisAmericangovernment—whatisitbutatradition,thougharecentone,endeavoringtotransmititselfunimpairedtoposterity,buteachinstantlosingsomeofitsintegrity?Ithasnotthevitalityandforceofasinglelivingman;forasinglemancanbendittohiswill.Itisasortofwoodenguntothepeoplethemselves.Butitisnotthelessnecessaryforthis;forthepeoplemusthavesomecomplicatedmachineryorother,andhearitsdin,tosatisfythatideaofgovernmentwhichtheyhave.Governmentsshowthushowsuccessfullymencanbeimposedupon,evenimposeonthemselves,fortheirownadvantage.Itisexcellent,wemustallallow.Yetthisgovernmentneverofitselffurtheredanyenterprise,butbythealacritywithwhichitgotoutofitsway.Itdoesnotkeepthecountryfree.ItdoesnotsettletheWest.Itdoesnoteducate.ThecharacterinherentintheAmericanpeoplehasdoneallthathasbeenaccomplished;anditwouldhavedonesomewhatmore,ifthegovernmenthadnotsometimesgotinitsway.Forgovernmentisanexpedient,bywhichmenwouldfainsucceedinlettingoneanotheralone;and,ashasbeensaid,whenitismostexpedient,thegovernedaremostletalonebyit.Tradeandcommerce,iftheywerenotmadeofIndianRubber,wouldnevermanagetobounceoverobstacleswhichlegislatorsarecontinuallyputtingintheirway;andifoneweretojudgethesemenwhollybytheeffectsoftheiractionsandnotpartlybytheirintentions,theywoulddeservetobeclassedandpunishedwiththosemischieviouspersonswhoputobstructionsontherailroads.
But,tospeakpracticallyandasacitizen,unlikethosewhocallthemselvesnoovernmentmen,Iaskfor,notatonenogovernment,butatonceabettergovernment.Leteverymanmakeknownwhatkindofgovernmentwouldcommandhisrespect,andthatwillbeonesteptowardobtainingit.
Afterall,thepracticalreasonwhy,whenthepowerisonceinthehandsofthepeople,amajorityarepermitted,andforalongperiodcontinue,toruleisnotbecausetheyaremostlikelytobeintheright,norbecausethisseemsfairesttotheminority,butbecausetheyarephysicallythestrongest.Butagovernmentinwhichthemajorityruleinallcasescannotbebasedonjustice,evenasfarasmenunderstandit.Cantherenotbeagovernmentinwhichthemajoritiesdonotvirtuallydeciderightandwrong,butconscience?—Inwhichmajoritiesdecideonlythosequestionstowhichtheruleofexpediencyisapplicable?Mustthecitizeneverforamoment,orintheleastdegree,resignhisconsciencetothelegislator?Whyhaseverymanaconsciencethen?Ithinkthatweshouldbemenfirst,andsubjectsafterward.Itisnotdesirabletocultivatearespectforthelaw,somuchasfortheright.TheonlyobligationwhichIhavearighttoassumeistodoatanytimewhatIthinkright.