Matt's Person of the Month: Thomas Paine

As Americans, we (as well as other great nations) take pride in our history, especially the beginnings of our nation. As children we adored tales of valor by the distinguished George Washington, thoughts of ingenuity brought about by Benjamin Franklin, and who can forget the defiant, yet romantic, prose of Thomas Jefferson. Sure, there was Paul Revere's Ride and Ethan Allen's Green Mountain Boys. Who could have missed a yarn about a seamstress making a flag or a poet in a boat forming a ballad of a resilient flag? I ask one question though; does anyone one remember the Father of the American Revolution? Allow me to enlighten you.

Now, I am going to something different. Usually, I tell of the man behind the words, but I am choosing to let the words tell the man. Below, I am going to show his three biggest contributions to history and I hope through his words, you can see the man.

Common Sense (1776)

It was his pamphlet, "Common Sense" that would greatly influence colonists feelings about independence. What was so great about it was that it was written for Americans by an Englishman. While what he was saying was not anything they haven't heard, it was being said by an outsider. In an odd sense of irony, which you will see later, it was structured to read like a church sermon and even included biblical references to persuade the people.

The pamphlet was in four parts: Origin and Design of Government, Monarchy & Hereditary Succession, Present State of American Affairs, and The Ability of America.

In the first part, Paine shows a difference between society and government. He argues that as a society grows, problems will arise. People will come together in an effort to form solutions to these problems. It is here that a government needs to be born in order to enforce what would become laws. It is also stated due to an ever growing population, not everyone can fit into a government, so elections must be held. Being able to choose a leader was astounding considering the world has only known monarchies, imperialism, or despotism as forms of government.

Paine would also state in the first part of the pamphlet how England holds two tyranny's: Monarchical and Aristocratic. Paine would show the American people how the society works when people are put in positions solely on birth.

In the second part, Paine argues how a monarchical form of government is a front for oppression and tyranny. This is also where a lot of the biblical references come into play. He argues that in God's image we were created as equals, but how do some men become more equal than others? He also brings forward the notion of the divine right theory where he makes the claim that if the monarchy is right, the scripture is false. While our founding father were deists, most of the American people were still very religious and that struck a huge cord. He also argues against John Locke's Consitutional Monarchy stating that still having a monarchy does not guarantee the monarch will uphold the people's wishes. Or that the checks and balances would not include the monarch.

In his Thoughts of the Present State of American Affairs (part three), Paine shows the conflict between the American Colonies and Great Britain. He offers that the only solution would be independence. This is where our foundation is laid when he talks about a local congress with representatives from each colony. He proposes we draft a "Continental Charter" which would be similar to the Magna Carta and have the King sign it. Easier said then done, and as previously stated, the monarch could have sign it, but there is no guarantee he would honor it.

And lastly on the Present Ability of America, Paine shows how America can prepare and fight a war against the English. In my copy of the pamphlet, he demonstrates how America does not need to import goods to make a Navy due to large resources of timber. Also, we have an over abundant amount of iron, which can be used for weapons. He even shows that if we work diligently, we could raise a Navy equal to the Royal Navy in terms of number of ships and munitions!

Interesting, 6 months after this work was published, America did make a "Continental Charter", except we called it the Declaration of Independence. And we didn't have a king sign it, No, we had 56 men to do that.


The Rights of Man (1791/1792)

This was a pamphlet written in response to Edmund Burke's "Reflections on the Revolution in France". Burke wondered why anybody would be so concerned with a man's right to food or medicine and why they were not concerned about procuring it. He also believed in the Divine Right theory and that no man has the right to oppose a oppressive government. He also thought the revolution would end catastrophically leading to many factions where a popular military strategist could seize power. Oddly enough, Napoleon would fulfill his prophecy, but not before Paine gave him an intellectual bitch slap.

In his defense of the French Revolution and the rights of citizens within an oppressive state, Paine argues that the rights of men were a natural occurrence and could not be granted by a government. If such rights were given by a government, he implied that said government could revoke or suspend the aforementioned rights.

Paine also contends that the government's sole purpose is to safeguard its citizens and any governmental institution that does not benefit the society (monarch, nobles, and the military), it is illegitimate.

He furthers on to the reformation of the English government. He states that they should mold a constitution similar to America's, dissolve aristocratic titles (duke, baron, lord) because it is not compatible with democracy. Also, it is argued that there needs to be lower taxes for the poor, education for the poor, a weighted income tax for the wealthy, and a national budget that does not include military funding. It seems we have the same arguments today.

As you can assume, this pamphlet did not sit well with English elite. They had him tried in absentia for sedition. Since, he was now living in France, they could never carry out his sentence. That sentence of course being hanged.


The Age of Reason (1794)

Now, Paine takes a break from pissing people off through politics; to piss people off through religion. As previously stated, our fore fathers were deists, as well as many of the social elite in continental Europe and in America. Deism, simply put is a belief in God, but the rejection of revelation, but instead the use of reason.

The book argues against organized religion and how it attempts to control the world. He also argues how some miracles could have been perceived and offers reasonable explanations through it all. For the Book of Revelation, Paine states that John was walking through a poppy field and thus, could have been just tripping balls.

I could go into great detail on this book, but it is pretty cut and dry. Some English politicians saw it as an allegory for yet again another dig on their government, but it is pretty much a statement of his beliefs.



Paine, as well as our founding fathers, grew up and lived during a very interesting time. These ideals were being spread about in books and social circles. The lived during a great philosophical movement called the Enlightenment. And who knows, without it, America could still be under a crown. Many ideas came from this period, and the great ones stayed.

I suggest to all of you, if you have not taken the time to read these titles mentioned in this article, please do. Also, add works by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. They are great reads and offers many insights into the men who would form a nation.

And for added measure, I leave you with some of my favorite quotes by Mr. Paine:

"Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good."

"Man is not the enemy of man but through the medium of a false system of government."

"Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one..."

"There is something exceedingly ridiculous in the composition of monarchy; it first excludes a man from the means of information, yet empowers him to act in cases where the highest judgment is required."

"I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense . . ."

"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace."

"All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit."

"It is a contradiction in terms and ideas to call anything a revelation that comes to us at second hand."

"Of all the systems of religion that ever were invented, there is none more derogatory to the Almighty, more unedifying to man, more repugnant to reason, and more contradictory in itself, than this thing called Christianity. Too absurd for belief, too impossible to convince, and too inconsistent for practice, it renders the heart torpid, or produces only atheists and fanatics. "