Henry David Thoreau was an advocate of very limited government. This is evident in the popular phrase coined by him, "That government is best which governs least."
Thoreau believed that government should be limited and that individuals have a duty to resist unjust laws. He advocated for civil disobedience as a means to challenge government authority when it violates moral principles. Thoreau valued individual conscience and autonomy over submission to a government that goes against personal beliefs.
The best government would be no government. In order to have a successful society without government, everybody should live a moral/ethical life.
a government that governs least
One that governs little
Thoreau believed that the government has an ethical responsibility to protect the rights and interests of minority populations, even if it means going against the majority. He argued that it is the duty of the government to ensure justice and fair treatment for all its citizens, regardless of their numbers.
Thoreau explicitly disagrees with the statement, "That government is best which governs least." He believes this view is a hasty generalization and oversimplification of the role of government in society, advocating instead for thoughtful and deliberate consideration of the functions and responsibilities of government.
He asked for a better government at once.
The representative of the government that Thoreau meets once a year is the tax collector. Thoreau encounters him as part of his protest against the Mexican-American War and slavery, refusing to pay taxes to a government that supports these injustices.
Thoreau, like many in modern times, was convinced that government was unresponsive and broken. However, he posited that government is necessary and, rather than no government, what was needed was better government.
Thoreau compares the government to a machine or tool that can be used for good or ill by those in power. He emphasizes that individuals have a responsibility to resist unjust laws and actions of the government.
That a government is best when it does not interfere with the lives of individuals
Thoreau was against the Mexican War (he didn't want further expansion of slave states) so he is bitter towards the government. Even if it's not the matter of the Mexican War, Thoreau doesn't like the government, like other Trensendentalists, he doesn't like powerful government controlling peope's lives.
To compare injustice to something concrete -apex
The role the government should play in people's lives
Thoreau might argue that government should be limited and only involved in matters that protect individual liberties. He might criticize the overreach of government control and advocate for a more decentralized governing system. Thoreau would likely emphasize the importance of personal responsibility and self-reliance over reliance on government intervention.
That Government Is Best Which Governs Least.