LITERATURE QUESTIONS
TRANSCENDENTALISM LITERATURE
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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People must overthrow the government
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The fewer who run the government the better
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Citizens should be willing to act on their opinions
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None of the above
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Detailed explanation-1: -In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau’s basic premise is that a higher law than civil law demands the obedience of the individual. Human law and government are subordinate. In cases where the two are at odds with one another, the individual must follow his conscience and, if necessary, disregard human law.
Detailed explanation-2: -Thoreau argues that a better government is one in which “majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong, but conscience” (part 1, par. 4). Thoreau distinguishes the contrast between right and wrong as determined by the majority, and right and wrong as determined by each individual’s conscience.
Detailed explanation-3: -The main idea of “Civil Disobedience” is that an individual should obey their conscience. If their conscience is telling that a law is unjust, they should not obey this law, in spite of the fact that it may cause upheaval or threaten the social order.
Detailed explanation-4: -The word but in this context means “only, ” so “Government is at best but an expedient” means that the only good a government can do is provide a convenient way to solve a problem or accomplish a goal.
Detailed explanation-5: -1. Features of Civil Disobedience. Henry David Thoreau is widely credited with coining the term civil disobedience. For years, Thoreau refused to pay his state poll tax as a protest against the institution of slavery, the extermination of Native Americans, and the war against Mexico.