asked 18.1k views
2 votes
cite "Others--as most legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers, and office-holders--serve the state chiefly with their heads; and, as they rarely make any moral distinctions, they are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God."

asked
User Tyirvine
by
8.2k points

1 Answer

2 votes

Answer:

The Duty of Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau

Step-by-step explanation:

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was an American writer, philosopher and poet. In the years leading to the Civil War, Thoreau became renowned due to his pro-abolitionist stance, his defense of individualism, and his views on limiting the power of the government. The Duty of Civil Disobedience, written in 1849, is an essay where he argues individuals should actively resist an unjust government. Part of this resistance comes from not submitting blindly to the government because, as in the quoted passage, it could lead to a situation where those whose duty is to serve the state, end up acting immorally ("they are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God.")

answered
User Chris Byatt
by
8.2k points
Welcome to Qamnty — a place to ask, share, and grow together. Join our community and get real answers from real people.