| "Guest Columnist" Henry David Thoreau speaks his piece on the folly of government, and reminds us to act on pricinciple - always. |
I heartily accept the motto, —"That government is best which governs least"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe, —"That government is best which governs not at all"; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have. --Henry David Thoreau, 1849 Well, that just about sums it up, doesn't it? Henry David Thoreau's classic essay "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" is chock full of such golden nuggets of libertarian wisdom. 
This article represents the first of a new lptn.net series "Back To Basics", exploring some of the classic literature at the foundation of our movement, works whose values have only improved with age, and which are not only still relevant today, but that could arguably be _more_ relevant now than ever. It is my hope that presenting this series can serve both to expose these works to new audiences and to help illuminate the rich history of libertarianism in America and the world, showing that while our party may be new, our ideas are as seasoned as liberty itself. To that end, I don't think there could be a better opener than "Civil Disobedience", Thoreaus's piece on the folly of government, the relation of the individual to the State, and the duty of the just to act always on principle. This essay has inspired generations of activists and civil leaders, from Gandhi to Dr. King, from the Underground Railroad to the Viet Nam protests. Let us make it now a beacon for liberty in the 21st Century. |
