Henry David Thoreau's Walden Economy

In “Walden” Henry David Thoreau he describes his two year experiment on living with only the bare necessities of life. One of the themes of this story is “Economy”, he describes how he lived working and spending money on only the minimum to survive, and in the process he explains how he became spiritually free in the process. A work we read in class that had many similarities to “Walden” was, “A Way to Wealth” by Benjamin Franklin, he tackles many of the same viewpoints and beliefs about the economy, and like Thoreau he speaks on how to become successful and how to find true happiness.
Thoreau was very passionate when explaining his logic on the “economy”, he says we shouldn’t spend money on the things we don’t need, and he wants people to …show more content…
When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to adventure life now, his vacation from humbler toil having commenced.” (Thoreau 18) Thoreau was very passionate about what he spoke, he believes the luxuries and comforts to which people are so attached to, are not as important as they believe it to be. Benjamin Franklin had similar opinions on the economy and how one should invest their money. Benjamin also provided some advice on how to be successful and how to live a happier life. In “A way to Wealth” he states “Here you are all got together at this Vendue of Fineries and Knicknacks. …show more content…
(Thoreau 89). He proved that you can get the things you need in order to survive by acquiring you own shelter and food. Benjamin Franklin also had a lot of the same ideas and opinions as Thoreau, in “A Way to Wealth” Franklin stated, “Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou shalt sell thy necessaries.” (Franklin 916) Franklin is basically saying if you buy unnecessary things, you can run out of money and sell the things you truly need. Thoreau also states “While civilization has been improving our houses, it has not equally improved the men who are to inhabit them. It has created palaces, but it was not so easy to create noblemen and kings.” (Thoreau 43) He believes that while civilization and materialist objects are improving it does not mean that the spirit of individuals are improving as well, and he doesn’t believe that is right at all. He also states, “A man who has at length found something to do will not need to get a new suit to do it in, for him will do, that has lain dusty in the garret for and indeterminate period.” (Thoreau 28) Thoreau believes the way you look and