Final answer:
Thoreau believed in minimal government intervention and argued that individuals should resist unjust authority. He viewed governmental use of force as a characteristic of despotism and promoted freedom from government restraints and societal expectations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thoreau comments on the nature of government and its role in enacting violence upon individuals in his seminal works On the Duty of Civil Disobedience and Walden; or, Life in the Woods. In these writings, he famously stated that government is best which governs not at all, implying a belief in minimal government intervention in the lives of citizens. He argued that individuals have the right to resist authority if it becomes unjust. His philosophy suggests that when the government uses force as a form of control, it resembles a despotic government, using fear to maintain power rather than protect its citizens. Thoreau advocated for freedom from governmental restraints and the ability to live life guided by personal convictions rather than societal expectations.