Thoreau vs. Gandhi

Henry David Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" is a short story about his time in jail. He was thrown in jail because he refused to pay a poll tax. In the document, Thoreau talks about how the government has strayed because they are no longer serving to people. He also talks about slavery and the war with Mexico (Thoreau). In Gandhi's story, he talks about the taxes that were placed on the Indians for salt. In the story he says that since there is a tax on the salt, the Indians and people should not talk the salt, to take the salt would be an offense to the culture. He also says this is a way that they can violate the law. He talks about three ways to violate the laws. The first one is to make your own salt, they can not take away the salt that you make for yourself (Gandhi). In Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" he calls the American government a tradition, he also says that it is not an old tradition. He questions the government and if they think they are still as true as they are today and how the government will be for the future generations. A point that shined out to me was how the west would still expand, the people would still be educated, and the American people would still be the same way they are today even without the government interference (Thoreau). This a great point. I think that the government helps us to have uniform and control over our country, but we would still be educated and we would still have the desire to expand our country. The government limits us for our abilities of learning and moving because they are afraid of the unknown. Thoreau also talks about how trade would be easier if the government was not in the way. He said that if trade was not made of "india rubber" it would never be able to get passed the government to become what it is and needs to be to get goods to the people. He also compares himself to a dog. HE does this because he is comparing himself to a dog because the government is like his master and they punish him physically for things that he does wrong. He did not pay his poll tax and the government immediately toke it that he was "standing on the other side of the rock wall" and they beat him up (Thoreau). This is like Gandhi's speech, "On the Eve of the Historic Dandi March" because with his march, Gandhi was going against what the government was telling him to do (Gandhi). He did not like the tax on the salt. He believed it was his right to the salt because it came from the earth and they should not put a tax on it. These stories are also alike because both men are speaking gout on topics they do not agree on. I think Gandhi was more mature about his speech/ writing because he gave facts and it seems like Thoreau was just complaining.

Gandhi, Mohandas K. "On the Eve of the Historic Dandi March." Glencoe Literature. By Jeffery D. Wilhelm. and Douglas Fisher. Vol.American English. New York: Glencoe McGraw Hill, 2009. 89. Print.

Thoreau, Henry David. "Civil Disobedience." Glencoe Literature. By Jeffery D. Wilhelm. and Douglas Fisher. Vol.American English. New York: Glencoe McGraw Hill, 2009. 89. Print.