Henry Thoreau says that " The government is best which governs least." Just as well as Lao Tzu, Thoreau believes in minimal governing. He says that " The only obligation which I have the right to assume is to do at any time what I think right" in which he believes that the personal conscience should be respected. He says that forcing people ignore their own moral thoughts and treating them as disposable entities always calls to unjust outcomes. He says that "Under a government which imprisons any unjustly , the true place for a just man is also prison." He believes that if acting by personal moral calls for negative consequence you are forced in complying against your conscience or you will risk freedom. I think current governing is similar but in many ways have improved.
The war between the United States and Mexico in dispute over where the borders of Texas were or should be. President James K. Polk ordered troops led by Gen. Zachary Taylor to occupy the land in dispute. Taylor then found reason to take the land by force causing war after Polk attempted to offer to buy the land from Mexico. These acts were to feed their "Manifest Destiny" which personally seemed like a goal of greed in power and wealth. I say that consciously Thoreau did not agree with the reasons for war resulting in him not wanting to be mandated to be in support.
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