Analysis of Humankind and Government

“That government is best which governs not at all.” This is a famous quote by Thoreau, who lived in the 19th century. Although regarded widely as a great and influential writer, some of his essays, one namely “Resistance to Civil Government”, are highly controversial. It is in this work that he made his stance on government clear, or rather a lack of government really. Thoreau’s belief that a society without a government is the best society is a very mistaken belief, as is clearly evidenced by the 20th century’s history.

Thoreau based his belief of no government on his view of God. He believed that man is actually a small part of God, and is therefore basically good. He encouraged readers to go out into nature and commune with the “Universal Being” there. This Transcendental belief is based on deism, a belief that humanity is basically good. However, our very history shows us that this belief is false to its core.

Ivan IV of Russia, Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot. This list of names could go on and on. Each of these single men single-handedly brought about events that killed millions upon millions of people. And it was not just in the last few centuries that these kinds of men have existed. A person who was writing a list of the top evil men in history said he had the sad realization he could write a top 100 evil men and still have plenty of names left for a second list. Under Stalin’s leadership an estimated 10-60 million people died. Hitler caused the deaths of over 6 million Jews; not including sparking a World War that consumed even more millions of lives…No. People are not good. Not in the least.

“Well,” Thoreau might have said, “All these great atrocities that were committed were done under the leadership of a government.” And he is right. That does not mean, however, that evil acts don’t exist apart from governmental control. Take Somalia, for example. In the late 1990’s the president fled the country, leaving no governmental control behind whatsoever. Anarchy reigned. Wars between armed warlords engulfed the nation. It wasn’t until a parliament elected a new government almost a decade later that there was hope of peace. For yet another five years battles raged across the face of the land until the still growing government was able to gain military might and bring the lands under control. Today there is still a fitful peace in the country. It is a strained peace, yes, but it is a peace. A peace that was brought about by the implementation of a government.

As one can clearly see, Thoreau’s beliefs that are evidenced his statement “That government is best which governs not at all” are wrong. History alone can tell us that. Whether by individual acts or in teeming masses, people have shown throughout all of time that humanity is not good. People are not good. Without laws, without government, anarchy would reign. The very laws and enforcement that Thoreau would do away with with his abolishment of government are the laws and the power of the government behind those laws that keep you safe in bed at night. They are the laws that keep your neighborhood from becoming a flattened battleground between two forces. I, for one, am glad to have a government.