In his essay “Civil Disobedience,” Henry David Thoreau argues that society functions most efficiently when it is not ruled by an overbearing monarch or a strong central government, but by the people, who essentially have self-sufficient populations who do not necessarily need government per se, but are able to call upon it in times of crisis. Thoreau's estimate of the good will and intelligence of humanity is vastly excessive, and his theories of government are applicable only in small cases. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThoreau openly states that "the best government is that which governs least", meaning the fact that governments which do not, are the superior forms. This is contradictory, in the sense that one cannot claim to want a government, but that it governs the minimum. By maintaining a government that has strong enough powers to help in times of crisis, but has minimal interference with the people, a paradox is created. How is it possible to have a governing body that is strong enough to interfere when necessary, yet trustworthy and expected not to interfere otherwise? To maintain this type of self-sufficient and uninvolved form of government, you need to be part of an extremely small group of people, even fewer than 10 people. The overall level of diligence, intelligence and self-determination within the human population is extremely low. To successfully employ a form of government that “is best and doesn't govern at all,” you need to have a population of people with similar interests and goals. In a small group of people, where a common goal was a unifying factor, say in an era where survival was the primary goal, the ideals proposed by Thoreau would have been successful. When a people is united, under a common cause, everyone will work hard to achieve that goal, and “Civil Disobedience” will not be evident. Typically crime, or disobedience, arises from complacency or lack of satisfaction of needs; when all the needs of the people are the primary goal, in the minds of the people themselves who are working hard to achieve that goal, no one will have the need to break the common law established by the popular “government”. In essence, in the case of Thoreau's perfect government, the intervention clause, where the government can be strong, centrally, in times of crisis, is not necessarily necessary. When crises arise, all members of society will try to maintain the good reputation and good capabilities of said government. All peoples will fight to maintain their way of life, and the mobilization capabilities of the central government do not need to be exploited, they are currently inherent. If the government is composed of a collection of self-sufficient people, who seek the same goal in society and will work to propagate the achievement of that goal; Thoreau's “best government”; then the strong central government that emerges in times of crisis is simply the natural response of people who have been scorned. Humans are a reactionary people and, if provoked, can react in extremely territorial and even predatory ways. When their goals are threatened, or their way of life seems about to collapse, people lash out. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The natural reaction of human beings, in times of crisis, means coming together, forming strong bonds to fight for the continuation of what used to be the norm..