Throughout his writing, Thoreau has many obvious passages in which he makes claims against the government that in some way would make them seem less than ideal. One of the major points said, “Why is [government] not more apt to anticipate and provide for reform? Why does it not encourage its citizens to be on the alert to point out its faults, and d better than it would have them? Why does it always crucify Christ, and excommunicate Copernicus and Luther, and pronounce Washington and Franklin rebels,” (835)? At this point in the text, he is listing several things aspects of ruling in which the government is not performing in favor of the people which it has control over. This type of attitude given by Thoreau makes it seem as though he wants the people to start questioning the government’s actions and possibly begin a sort of revolt. However in other sections, he sates ideas that are much more apparent in their attacks on the ruling party.

At one point he plainly states, “Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine,” (835). In this situation he is referring to the government as some sort of machine that is run by a system of springs, ropes, and pulleys. This is one of his stronger statements because his overall message to the people here is to try and focus your entire being on making as many difficulties as possible for the government. The main reason that Henry David Thoreau wrote Resistance to Civil Government was to rally the average American citizens and take a stand against our government. He is merely one of the great thinkers of his time, who feels that he has the power to make a difference that will have a permanently altering effect on the government.