How to interpret this. What does this mean...HELP?!!?

Question

This American government,-what is but a tradition though a recent one, endevoring to trasmit itself unimpared to posterity, but each instant losing some of its integrity? It has not the nitality and force of a single living man; for a single man can bend it to his will. It is sort of wooden gun to the people themselves. But it is not the less necessary for this; for the people must have some complicated machinery or other, and hear its din, to satisfy that idea of government which they have. Governments show this how sucesssfully men can be imposed on, even impose on themselves for their own advantage. It is excellent, we must all allow. Yet this government never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it got out its way. it does not keep the country free. It does not settle the West. It does not educate. The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished.

What does this mean? It's a paragraph in Civil Disobedience.

Answer 1

We the people made the government and we the people are the government who makes mistakes and learns from their mistakes.

Answer 2

Basically it's saying that the government doesn't make the people; rather, the people make the government.

You might want to check out Sharp's "The politics of nonviolent action"