Henry David Thoreau despised the “tradition” of false democracy. In his eyes, society would not be completely perfect until it was able to govern itself. Though he knew this was a huge demand to ask of a topsy-turvy world, it was a light he used to illuminate the darkness. According to Thoreau, organized governments were selfish and rapacious; they created conflicts, such as the Mexican-American War for their own gain. For a truly whole society, stated Thoreau, the people need to decide how they want their government to act—the purest form of democracy. The essay begins with bold statements regarding how the government gains its power. Since it is the largest establishment, it gains the majority of support by default. Until the population