A concept in which has been utilized by millions of people in hundreds of different situations, is the concept of civil disobedience. These ideas do not turn to anarchy but they remain civil. In 1845, Thoreau published an essay outlining the concept of civil disobedience. The ideas he had can be used by every member of any official society. Maintaining the belief that law sometimes must be broken in order to make society aware of an unjust policy of the government one is living under. Using this disobedience to the domestic policy of taxation policy of a government a person can make their ideas be known more effectively. The effect of Thoreau's essay on civil disobedience can be related to my life in particular, as well as to American life in general.
             "He who gives himself entirely to his fellow men appears to them useless and selfish; but he who gives himself partially to them is pronounced a benefactor and philanthropist". This quote shows the paradoxical ideas of Thoreau. Consider "gives himself" this quote embodies the reasons on the moral wrongness of slavery. A person who is entirely sacrificial of their life for the benefit of another is regarded as dirt and left as an invisible saint, especially when you factor in the truth that that slavery saved the economy in the south during the 1800's. The soldiers of that day are seen as great selfless heroes. The people do not recognize what an important job the slaves are playing in their joyous easy lives.
             "They have no genius or talent for comparatively humble questions of taxation and finance, commerce and manufactures and agriculture. If we were left solely to the wordy wit of legislators in Congress for our guidance, uncorrected by the seasonable experience and the effectual complaints of the people" Thoreau protects the value of correcting congress under the pretense that they are not always correct. This affects the American way of li...