Terra Potts
Bleck
English 245

Thoreau and Anarchism

Henry David Thoreau's piece 'Resistance to Civil Government' includes a wide variety of his ideas, many of which are focused on what he would consider to be the ideal social makeup. The social construct which he presents appears to involve a hands off approach of government or none at all. Of the ideas provided numerous, including thoughts on government, justice, and voting could be related to modern anarchist theory. This is valuable to current society because anarchism is and always has been a viable alternative to governed society and by comparing anarchist ideas with an American author, Thoreau, it is made possible to put anarchism in context with America and clarify many misconceptions of what modern anarchism is.

One of Thoreaus focuses and the main focus of anarchism is no government. The fact that they share this in common puts anarchist theory in to view and action dating back to early America, this could possibly make the ideas more accessible and acceptable to some. The very beginning of 'Resistance to Civil Government' states "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...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 they will have." (Thoreau 1538). One of the more popular dictionary definitions of anarchism is "a theory that regards the absence of all direct or coercive government as a political ideal and that proposes the cooperative and voluntary association of individuals and groups as the principal mode of organized society". In these times of increased government regulation due to different global issues such as the war in Iraq and the global terrorism scare it is important to maintain the ideas of liberty and personal autonomy. Anarchist theory and Henry Thoreau both suggest that life with out government is the best kind, keeping this in mind, one ought feel empowered by knowing of an alternative amidst government oppression which would imply that there are choices so one can choose to conform or to take a stand, but even in difficult times there are choices. Both suggest a lifestyle of personal empowerment.

Keeping with the notion of personal empowerment it is important to acknowledge that every individiual has a different perception and idea of things, such as what is right and wrong. Justice is a very subjective concept, often times it differs from place to place and is contingent upon time. Laws seek to make justice something absolute and unwavering which can lead to alienation and ironically injustice. Thoreau subscribes to the idea of men creating their own concept of justice and holding true to that, "It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right...Law never made men a whit more just; and by means of their respect for it, even the well-disposed are daily made the agents of injustice." (Thoreau 1539, 1540). An excerpt from an anarchist primer entitled 'Fighting For Our Lives' released by the Crime Thinc ex-workers collective expresses a similar view of what justice is as that of Thoreau, "We see laws as nothing more than the shadows of our predecessors' customs, lengthened by the years to seem more wise than our own judgment. They persist as undead creatures, imposing unnatural stipulations upon us that do not enable justice but only interfere with it-while at the same time estranging us from it, framing it as something we cannot carry out without arcane formalities and judges' wigs." It would appear of utmost importance to both anarchism and Thoreau's way of thinking to keep true to what is individually right and to act on ones own morals regardless of what the law says. This seems very applicable to all people at all times for no law can tell you how to act in any given circumstance, so in the end all one has is their conscious as their guide so it is important to develop that independently of what the law establishes as proper conduct.

Throughout American history one of the ways laws have been created and supposedjustice has been served is throught the democratic process of voting. While some people feel that voting is a proper means of expression and is enough to appease the conscience and insight change, others feel that a more direct approach is necessary. Realizing that there are other options outside of voting or at least acknowledging that other people are taking action outside of voting to work more directly with things that need to be addressed is important because it puts one once again in a position of empowerment by providing choices. In Thoreau's writing he presents ideas of the inefficiency of voting and suggests people to take a direct approach to creating change, "There are thousands who are in opinion opposed to slavery and to the war, who yet in effect do nothing to put an end to them;...All voting is a sort of gaming, like chequers or backgammon, with a slight moral tinge to it,...Even voting for the right is doing nothing for it. It is only expressing to men feebly your desire that it should prevail...Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine. What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn." (Thoreau 1542, 1545). Many pieces of anarchist literature convey much the same message. An anarchist zine entitled 'Direct Action, Voting Vs. Direct Action', states "In fact, voting for people to represent your interests is the least efficient and effective means of applying political power. The alternative, broadly speaking, is acting directly to represent your interests yourself... Direct action is occasionally misunderstood...it properly refers to any action or strategy that cuts out the middle man and solves problems directly, without appealing to elected representatives, corporate interests, or other powers." A different article which focuses on the incorporation of global science with anarchist theory states simply, "Central here is the principle of unmediated interest representation and thus direct engagement of affected parties...and networks can facilitate meaningful deliberation and democratic decision-making following non-hierarchical procedures". Part of direct action includes taking out all middle men, including bosses, and being able to work productively giving all people included equal say and working cooperatively. The concept of direct action bridging the gap which the system of voting creates is very relevant to people today. When one takes part in direct action, they are expressing themselves directly and can witness the change which they caused. In a very impersonal society knowing that one has the power to create change and act on ones own morals and values can be quite validating and encouraging to those who feel forgotten or left out by the social construct which is currently in place.

Henry David Thoreau's writings shed a vast amount of light on to the state of early american politics, Thoreaus personal views and feelings, and the development of anarchist politics. There are many similar key concepts of anarchist theory and Thoreau's own views including the desire for a society void of government, self determination of morals and justice, and the need for direct action instead of subscribing to popular culture and taking part in the vote. One can gain a lot of practical knowledge from Thoreau's words and works of anarchist literature. Even in these times of increased government attention and oppression one must maintain that each person is an independent individual and has the capacity to determine what is right and wrong by ones own moral compass and act upon those feelings.

Work Cited

Crimethinc Association of Concerned ex-Citizens. "Voting Versus Direct Action". Direct Action 2-3.

"Dictionary.com". Random House. 25 May, 2008 .

"Does Anarchy Work". Fighting For Our Lives 7-8.

Thoreau, Henry. "Resistance to Civil Government." The Harper American Literature. Ed. Donald McQuade. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Longman, 1994. 1538-1553.

Thorpe, Charles, and Ian Welsh. Beyond Primitivism. London: 2008.