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Common Sense, The Rights of Man and Other Essential Writings
Paine's daring prose paved the way for the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War. This volume also includes " The Crisis ," " The Age of Reason ," and " Agrarian Justice ."
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 1776
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19953 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Paine
1,424 books1,781 followersThomas Paine was an English-American political activist, author, political theorist and revolutionary. As the author of two highly influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution, he inspired the Patriots in 1776 to declare independence from Britain. His ideas reflected Enlightenment-era rhetoric of transnational human rights. He has been called "a corset maker by trade, a journalist by profession, and a propagandist by inclination".
Born in Thetford, England, in the county of Norfolk, Paine emigrated to the British American colonies in 1774 with the help of Benjamin Franklin, arriving just in time to participate in the American Revolution. His principal contributions were the powerful, widely read pamphlet Common Sense (1776), the all-time best-selling American book that advocated colonial America's independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, and The American Crisis (1776–83), a pro-revolutionary pamphlet series. Common Sense was so influential that John Adams said, "Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain."
Paine lived in France for most of the 1790s, becoming deeply involved in the French Revolution. He wrote the Rights of Man (1791), in part a defence of the French Revolution against its critics. His attacks on British writer Edmund Burke led to a trial and conviction in absentia in 1792 for the crime of seditious libel. In 1792, despite not being able to speak French, he was elected to the French National Convention. The Girondists regarded him as an ally. Consequently, the Montagnards, especially Robespierre, regarded him as an enemy.
In December 1793, he was arrested and imprisoned in Paris, then released in 1794. He became notorious because of his pamphlet The Age of Reason (1793–94), in which he advocated deism, promoted reason and freethinking, and argued against institutionalized religion in general and Christian doctrine in particular. He also wrote the pamphlet Agrarian Justice (1795), discussing the origins of property, and introduced the concept of a guaranteed minimum income. In 1802, he returned to America where he died on June 8, 1809. Only six people attended his funeral as he had been ostracized for his ridicule of Christianity.
Born in Thetford, England, in the county of Norfolk, Paine emigrated to the British American colonies in 1774 with the help of Benjamin Franklin, arriving just in time to participate in the American Revolution. His principal contributions were the powerful, widely read pamphlet Common Sense (1776), the all-time best-selling American book that advocated colonial America's independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, and The American Crisis (1776–83), a pro-revolutionary pamphlet series. Common Sense was so influential that John Adams said, "Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain."
Paine lived in France for most of the 1790s, becoming deeply involved in the French Revolution. He wrote the Rights of Man (1791), in part a defence of the French Revolution against its critics. His attacks on British writer Edmund Burke led to a trial and conviction in absentia in 1792 for the crime of seditious libel. In 1792, despite not being able to speak French, he was elected to the French National Convention. The Girondists regarded him as an ally. Consequently, the Montagnards, especially Robespierre, regarded him as an enemy.
In December 1793, he was arrested and imprisoned in Paris, then released in 1794. He became notorious because of his pamphlet The Age of Reason (1793–94), in which he advocated deism, promoted reason and freethinking, and argued against institutionalized religion in general and Christian doctrine in particular. He also wrote the pamphlet Agrarian Justice (1795), discussing the origins of property, and introduced the concept of a guaranteed minimum income. In 1802, he returned to America where he died on June 8, 1809. Only six people attended his funeral as he had been ostracized for his ridicule of Christianity.
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June 25, 2011
Too bad this book isn't a major part of our current educational system. I teach English literature and am convinced that a good dose of this at least once a day will bring our country back from the reality show addicted ninnies that we are all becoming. Wonderful book about the abuses of government, the threat of ignorance and the very real danger of irresponsible leadership.
I would like to make this part of my freshmen curriculum if I didn't think I would have to scaffold it to death and have half the parents of my district complaining.
I would like to make this part of my freshmen curriculum if I didn't think I would have to scaffold it to death and have half the parents of my district complaining.
August 24, 2016
“Without the pen of Paine, the sword of Washington would have wielded in vain” – John Adams
This quote prompted me to read this book. I was entirely unacquainted with Paine and this book was a tremendous introduction.
Thomas Paine, born in Great Britain, was initially an unsuccessful man just like all great men. It was in his later years that He found fame and recognition for his writings. Paine was an ardent supporter of democracy, Human Rights and Republicanism. He was severe critic of Monarchy and any form of hereditary form of politics. He chiefly wrote and published propaganda pamphlets and political essays that addressed the common man and not the affluent class of citizens. His unflinching criticism for Imperialist ambitions of British Government alienated him from the British Establishment and therefore, He spent most of his last years in America and France.
In Common Sense (1776), he advocated America’s Independence when even the most zealous patriots were demanding limited autonomy from the colonial establishment. Moreover, He did so in such charged language that it some American leaders thought it went too far. As the foreword mentions “Common Sense was the January heat of 1776 that balanced the
July light of Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. It might even be said that while Jefferson’s abstract diction justified rebellion, Paine’s explosive words got rebel men and muskets into the field.”
Paine despised monarchies and desired a greater role for the multitude.
“Society is produced by our wants, and the government by our wickedness”. In the first part of the “Common Sense”, Paine describes the basic purpose of the government as the one of protector of Human Rights and establishment of a welfare state that exercises its authority with the general consent of public.
He describes all the human beings as equals, any discrimination on the basis of race, religion, caste or creed is atrocious and petrifying to the very essence of a civilized society. Paine describes the only permissible distinctions as that of man and woman or of good or bad. Any other, He deems superfluous and undesirable. It is on this ground that He bases his vehement opposition to all forms of hereditary transfer of power and authority. How can children born in the house of a King, he debates, be superior in form or intellect then a peasants child. What distinction or qualification does he have apart from his royal pedigree? This is not only preposterous, he says, but also monstrous and destructive practice that must be abandoned.
Turing his attention towards the affairs of America, he sees it as a very dynamic economy which needs to get out of British grip if its people are to enjoy greater economic progress which is in sight. He deems America mature and fit enough to have a self government. A government that is established on the basis of economic, religious and political independence.
In the later part he not only exclaims that the future independent continent of America will not require any King to rule over it, but also phrases his conception of a proper democratic republic as having “the Law as king”. This is an excellent example of his political fortitude and vision.
The other essays that greatly interested me were The Right of Man and The Age of Reason.
In The Rights of Man, he contradicts Edmund Burke's opposition to French Revolutions with some excellent facts and ridicules his pro status quo rhetoric. Paine fervently defends the right of people to usurp power from tyrants and throw them out of their thrones.
In The Age of Reason, He describes his religious sentiments that generally detest any form of organized religion while retaining his firm belief in the existence of an Almighty One God. He mocks the Christian doctrines of Holy Trinity as well as condemns the role of church in politics. He also severely criticizes Islam and Judaism as completely contradictory to reasonable understanding of any average man. He proposes the that believing God can be possible independent of ones belief in any particular religion or a scripture.
I personally belief, that Paine was not only a tremendously successful propagandist, but also a brave political activist who desired liberation of the populace from monarchical governments and tyrannical colonialists.
His prose is very clear, raw and prophetic. He uses metaphors and examples to prove his point. He addresses the common man and it is for his eyes that he writes what he writes. His narrative is fiery and scrupulous, his vision clear and his ambitions dangerous yet practical. The way is mocks Burke in Rights of Man and abuses the King in Common Sense shows that he truly was a man of remarkable aptitude.
His firm belief in secular, democratic traditions is most outstanding, and so is his desire to emancipate humanity from the tyranny of a few.
This quote prompted me to read this book. I was entirely unacquainted with Paine and this book was a tremendous introduction.
Thomas Paine, born in Great Britain, was initially an unsuccessful man just like all great men. It was in his later years that He found fame and recognition for his writings. Paine was an ardent supporter of democracy, Human Rights and Republicanism. He was severe critic of Monarchy and any form of hereditary form of politics. He chiefly wrote and published propaganda pamphlets and political essays that addressed the common man and not the affluent class of citizens. His unflinching criticism for Imperialist ambitions of British Government alienated him from the British Establishment and therefore, He spent most of his last years in America and France.
In Common Sense (1776), he advocated America’s Independence when even the most zealous patriots were demanding limited autonomy from the colonial establishment. Moreover, He did so in such charged language that it some American leaders thought it went too far. As the foreword mentions “Common Sense was the January heat of 1776 that balanced the
July light of Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence. It might even be said that while Jefferson’s abstract diction justified rebellion, Paine’s explosive words got rebel men and muskets into the field.”
Paine despised monarchies and desired a greater role for the multitude.
“Society is produced by our wants, and the government by our wickedness”. In the first part of the “Common Sense”, Paine describes the basic purpose of the government as the one of protector of Human Rights and establishment of a welfare state that exercises its authority with the general consent of public.
He describes all the human beings as equals, any discrimination on the basis of race, religion, caste or creed is atrocious and petrifying to the very essence of a civilized society. Paine describes the only permissible distinctions as that of man and woman or of good or bad. Any other, He deems superfluous and undesirable. It is on this ground that He bases his vehement opposition to all forms of hereditary transfer of power and authority. How can children born in the house of a King, he debates, be superior in form or intellect then a peasants child. What distinction or qualification does he have apart from his royal pedigree? This is not only preposterous, he says, but also monstrous and destructive practice that must be abandoned.
Turing his attention towards the affairs of America, he sees it as a very dynamic economy which needs to get out of British grip if its people are to enjoy greater economic progress which is in sight. He deems America mature and fit enough to have a self government. A government that is established on the basis of economic, religious and political independence.
In the later part he not only exclaims that the future independent continent of America will not require any King to rule over it, but also phrases his conception of a proper democratic republic as having “the Law as king”. This is an excellent example of his political fortitude and vision.
The other essays that greatly interested me were The Right of Man and The Age of Reason.
In The Rights of Man, he contradicts Edmund Burke's opposition to French Revolutions with some excellent facts and ridicules his pro status quo rhetoric. Paine fervently defends the right of people to usurp power from tyrants and throw them out of their thrones.
In The Age of Reason, He describes his religious sentiments that generally detest any form of organized religion while retaining his firm belief in the existence of an Almighty One God. He mocks the Christian doctrines of Holy Trinity as well as condemns the role of church in politics. He also severely criticizes Islam and Judaism as completely contradictory to reasonable understanding of any average man. He proposes the that believing God can be possible independent of ones belief in any particular religion or a scripture.
I personally belief, that Paine was not only a tremendously successful propagandist, but also a brave political activist who desired liberation of the populace from monarchical governments and tyrannical colonialists.
His prose is very clear, raw and prophetic. He uses metaphors and examples to prove his point. He addresses the common man and it is for his eyes that he writes what he writes. His narrative is fiery and scrupulous, his vision clear and his ambitions dangerous yet practical. The way is mocks Burke in Rights of Man and abuses the King in Common Sense shows that he truly was a man of remarkable aptitude.
His firm belief in secular, democratic traditions is most outstanding, and so is his desire to emancipate humanity from the tyranny of a few.
June 15, 2016
My ignorance of American history often manages to astound even myself. I know the major events and figures. But can I rattle off the list of presidents? Can I name famous Supreme Court cases at the drop of a hat? Could I, in short, even pass a basic high school level American history test? I doubt it.
But I’m not about to start making flash cards and drilling myself anytime soon; anyway, such a task would only fill my head with the same facts and dates I’ve already managed to forget. No; if I’m going to learn, I’m going to learn in style. And what better way to stylishly learn than by reading primary sources?
As a friend of mine pointed out, Thomas Paine was the ultimate American. He was an immigrant, an autodidact, a populist, a democrat, and an optimist. He believed that the whole world could be a democratic paradise; not only did he believe it could happen, but was absolutely sure it would.
Paine also shared another American quality: an aversion to abstract argument. I do not mean to belittle the intelligence of an obviously brilliant man; I just wish to point out that his writing is effective in the same way as is a ringing trumpet or a beating drum—as a call to arms. Paine is a master-builder of compelling slogans, an expert craftsman of battle-cries. Although he speaks much of reason, his real target is the passions.
As an American who has imbibed these ideas since birth, reading Paine can seem almost breezy. His every point provokes a sort of knee-jerk reaction in me. I nod along, and say to myself, “Yes, of course; yes, yes, of course.” In such a suggestible state, it’s easy to overlook the actual dearth of argument. Paine backs up his claims with appeals to common sense, and with ad hominem attacks on his opponents. I doubt any skeptical reader could be convinced of Democracy’s value by Paine alone; but I am far from skeptical in this matter, and I suspect the same is true of most others.
In any case, it’s hard not to admire a man who worked his way up from the very bottom to the height of literary fame; whose every effort was bent on increasing general happiness and curtailing institutionalized oppression; who sold thousands of copies of his works without making a cent. Perhaps Thomas Paine was the ultimate American, not only insofar as he illustrated our foibles, but also as he confirmed our greatest potential.
But I’m not about to start making flash cards and drilling myself anytime soon; anyway, such a task would only fill my head with the same facts and dates I’ve already managed to forget. No; if I’m going to learn, I’m going to learn in style. And what better way to stylishly learn than by reading primary sources?
As a friend of mine pointed out, Thomas Paine was the ultimate American. He was an immigrant, an autodidact, a populist, a democrat, and an optimist. He believed that the whole world could be a democratic paradise; not only did he believe it could happen, but was absolutely sure it would.
Paine also shared another American quality: an aversion to abstract argument. I do not mean to belittle the intelligence of an obviously brilliant man; I just wish to point out that his writing is effective in the same way as is a ringing trumpet or a beating drum—as a call to arms. Paine is a master-builder of compelling slogans, an expert craftsman of battle-cries. Although he speaks much of reason, his real target is the passions.
As an American who has imbibed these ideas since birth, reading Paine can seem almost breezy. His every point provokes a sort of knee-jerk reaction in me. I nod along, and say to myself, “Yes, of course; yes, yes, of course.” In such a suggestible state, it’s easy to overlook the actual dearth of argument. Paine backs up his claims with appeals to common sense, and with ad hominem attacks on his opponents. I doubt any skeptical reader could be convinced of Democracy’s value by Paine alone; but I am far from skeptical in this matter, and I suspect the same is true of most others.
In any case, it’s hard not to admire a man who worked his way up from the very bottom to the height of literary fame; whose every effort was bent on increasing general happiness and curtailing institutionalized oppression; who sold thousands of copies of his works without making a cent. Perhaps Thomas Paine was the ultimate American, not only insofar as he illustrated our foibles, but also as he confirmed our greatest potential.
March 29, 2012
Given what I've read of him in the introduction of this edition of his writings and elsewhere, Thomas Paine was every bit as important to the American Revolution as George Washington or Thomas Jefferson (and as it turns out, fascinatingly enough, an important figure in the French Revolution.) The forward by Jack Fruchtman Jr. claimed Paine was no philosopher, but rather a journalist, and the introduction by Sidney Hook that he was no deep thinker. Interestingly enough, I found Paine's writings shelved not in the philosophy section of the bookstore, but the history section. What Paine was plainly, if not a philosopher, was a rabble rouser who could still inspire venom over a century later. (Theodore Roosevelt called Paine "that dirty little atheist.")
Paine's pamphlet Common Sense published in July of 1776 helped spark the American Revolution. Reading Common Sense what stood out to me (and to a lesser extent the other writings) was, despite Paine's reputation as an atheist, how often he cited The Bible in his arguments. So often I've seen the secular left versus the religious right claim the American Founding Fathers as their own. If Paine and other first-hand sources of the Founding Age are any indication, the truth is more complicated, and they're neither atheists nor fundamentalists--but more people who took the existence of God and the soul for granted, while, given the religious pluralism of the colonies, making Reason (with a decidedly capital "R") the lingua franca between them--but there's certainly plenty of references to God and Providence in the works of Paine. The other thing that's striking in Common Sense--a note also resounded in Rights of Man--is the heady optimism, of the belief in the chance for fundamental and radical change: "We have it in our power to begin the world over again." These works are also a surprisingly lively read. Even now, the words strike sparks on the page. Paine is often a gifted wordsmith.
That's possibly never better demonstrated than in his series of articles The American Crisis, which were read to Washington's troops during the darkest hours of the war. The first of the series has this famous opening: "These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."
And Rights of Man? If you want to understand the underpinnings of traditional Anglo-American conservatism, many have told me to read Edmund Burke, who many contemporary conservatives still cite as a forerunner. But if you want to understand the wellsprings of both libertarianism and liberalism right at the root, you couldn't get off to a better start than to read Paine's Rights of Man, which was a response to Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France. In Rights of Man Paine vigorously defended the French Revolution as well as free-thinking and democracy against tradition and aristocratic privilege. In showing the absurdity of monarchy and aristocracy Paine succeeded brilliantly. His arguments are not all that well structured however. He rambled and was often repetitive in his points. (OK, I get it, William the Conqueror was a thug.) And at times Paine's words can ring hollow because of how history has overtaken this 1791 tract. So when he passionately defended the French Revolution as civilized, I immediately thought of "the Reign of Terror" ahead of France and that Paine himself was imprisoned and came close to being guillotined. When he stated his belief that within seven years no monarchy would survive in the "enlightened" nations of Europe... Well, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom are all still monarchies today and are hardly unenlightened by any stretch. (Even if practically speaking all are republics in all but name.) And Paine had a touching faith that republics would never go to war against each other.
It makes me more curious about Burke. The quotes Paine chose to represent Burke's arguments do make him sound ridiculous. Yet I know many thinkers on the right respect Burke's arguments even today as a defense of slow organic change in political institutions over radical revolution. (And given the later events of the French Revolution, I suspect he might have been more prescient than Paine.) On the other hand, I certainly was fascinated to read Paine's account of both the American and French Revolutions and how intertwined they were from someone so personally involved. So above all, the reason to read Paine's works are that they are above all history first hand, the best possible source to get a sense of the spirit of an age and of two revolutions.
Paine's pamphlet Common Sense published in July of 1776 helped spark the American Revolution. Reading Common Sense what stood out to me (and to a lesser extent the other writings) was, despite Paine's reputation as an atheist, how often he cited The Bible in his arguments. So often I've seen the secular left versus the religious right claim the American Founding Fathers as their own. If Paine and other first-hand sources of the Founding Age are any indication, the truth is more complicated, and they're neither atheists nor fundamentalists--but more people who took the existence of God and the soul for granted, while, given the religious pluralism of the colonies, making Reason (with a decidedly capital "R") the lingua franca between them--but there's certainly plenty of references to God and Providence in the works of Paine. The other thing that's striking in Common Sense--a note also resounded in Rights of Man--is the heady optimism, of the belief in the chance for fundamental and radical change: "We have it in our power to begin the world over again." These works are also a surprisingly lively read. Even now, the words strike sparks on the page. Paine is often a gifted wordsmith.
That's possibly never better demonstrated than in his series of articles The American Crisis, which were read to Washington's troops during the darkest hours of the war. The first of the series has this famous opening: "These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."
And Rights of Man? If you want to understand the underpinnings of traditional Anglo-American conservatism, many have told me to read Edmund Burke, who many contemporary conservatives still cite as a forerunner. But if you want to understand the wellsprings of both libertarianism and liberalism right at the root, you couldn't get off to a better start than to read Paine's Rights of Man, which was a response to Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France. In Rights of Man Paine vigorously defended the French Revolution as well as free-thinking and democracy against tradition and aristocratic privilege. In showing the absurdity of monarchy and aristocracy Paine succeeded brilliantly. His arguments are not all that well structured however. He rambled and was often repetitive in his points. (OK, I get it, William the Conqueror was a thug.) And at times Paine's words can ring hollow because of how history has overtaken this 1791 tract. So when he passionately defended the French Revolution as civilized, I immediately thought of "the Reign of Terror" ahead of France and that Paine himself was imprisoned and came close to being guillotined. When he stated his belief that within seven years no monarchy would survive in the "enlightened" nations of Europe... Well, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom are all still monarchies today and are hardly unenlightened by any stretch. (Even if practically speaking all are republics in all but name.) And Paine had a touching faith that republics would never go to war against each other.
It makes me more curious about Burke. The quotes Paine chose to represent Burke's arguments do make him sound ridiculous. Yet I know many thinkers on the right respect Burke's arguments even today as a defense of slow organic change in political institutions over radical revolution. (And given the later events of the French Revolution, I suspect he might have been more prescient than Paine.) On the other hand, I certainly was fascinated to read Paine's account of both the American and French Revolutions and how intertwined they were from someone so personally involved. So above all, the reason to read Paine's works are that they are above all history first hand, the best possible source to get a sense of the spirit of an age and of two revolutions.
March 18, 2016
An excellent book. The foundations of the American political structure and two hundred years later a call to come back to basics. A call to expose how America is edging closer to ALL things that it set out NOT to be. More than a voice of the past but a herald, like a prophet in the desert, saying
"You have strayed away from something that was so clearly laid out for you, Come back."
Come back NOT to a system of the wealthiest man or woman dominates the poor but one where ALL MEN AND WOMEN are equal in the eyes of the law and are allowed to seek out what it is that makes them happy and prosperous.
Come back not to a time where one set of religious moralities dominates outside of said religious institutions but one where one is FREE to practice their own religion WITHOUT fear that another religious code would be made law
Come back to a time where Kings, Queens, Generals, members of a Aristocracy or Corporation did not and could not Rule over the lives of the common man and give cause and make law for doing so.
When you read through you might think as I did, "Things of 200 years ago are still going on today. Have we made any progress? Yes some here, some there, but when it comes to the basics: If we knew what we were trying to get away from, trying to avoid. Why then is it still here?"
"You have strayed away from something that was so clearly laid out for you, Come back."
Come back NOT to a system of the wealthiest man or woman dominates the poor but one where ALL MEN AND WOMEN are equal in the eyes of the law and are allowed to seek out what it is that makes them happy and prosperous.
Come back not to a time where one set of religious moralities dominates outside of said religious institutions but one where one is FREE to practice their own religion WITHOUT fear that another religious code would be made law
Come back to a time where Kings, Queens, Generals, members of a Aristocracy or Corporation did not and could not Rule over the lives of the common man and give cause and make law for doing so.
When you read through you might think as I did, "Things of 200 years ago are still going on today. Have we made any progress? Yes some here, some there, but when it comes to the basics: If we knew what we were trying to get away from, trying to avoid. Why then is it still here?"
August 7, 2016
I reread this book every 8 to 12 years, often near elections, to remind myself that reasonable people possessing common sense existed hundreds of years ago against a sea of insanity, shortsightedness, and stubbornness.
“Time makes more converts than reason.”
― Thomas Paine, Common Sense
“Time makes more converts than reason.”
― Thomas Paine, Common Sense
November 20, 2021
RIGHTS OF MAN:
Dedicated to George Washington, the president of a nation he had encouraged the independence with fervour (seeing in its struggle the triumph of 'natural rights' over the tyranny of a monarchy) 'The Rights of Man' by Thomas Paine is in fact a criticism of 'Reflection on the Revolution in France' by Edmund Burke, published the previous year in 1790.
The thing is, unlike Burke defending a traditional order monarchy-nobility-clergy, Paine, on the contrary, encourages its overthrown to replace it by a representative democracy. As such, he therefore supports the French Revolution, with which he will distances himself only after the execution of Louis XVI.
The title says it all: unlike Burke, he perfectly understood that beyond an economic crisis and the violent events it triggered, here was in fact the triumph of a new political ideal, whereas citizens reclaimed their 'natural rights' then denied under an absolutist regime. It's about the sovereignty of the people, incarnated by a government defending the rights of all of its citizens, and overthrowing society as viewed by Burke and his followers that is, where sovereignty is held into the hands of a king, supported by an hereditary aristocracy, and justified by the 'superstitions' of a Church more concerned with its own vested interests than that of its common believers.
Thomas Paine, even, dares going further. Where Burke and the anti-revolutionaries worried about the future of the nobility and the clergy, he remained concerned solely with that of whose oppressed by the Old Regime: the poor. He proposes in fact a whole set of policies, from the education of children to the implementation of pensions for whose unable to sustain themselves, which are striking to read even nowadays!
You bet, anti-monarchist, mocking the idea that a government should be hereditary, a firm supporter of 'natural rights' and representative democracy, and a radical reformer, this 'Rights Of Man' is a punch in the face knocking even the British monarchy! The book, in fact, will be censored, and the author, judged in absentia, will seek refuge in France...
COMMON SENSE:
Following two failed marriages and a chaotic professional life leading him nowhere, Thomas Paine decided, in 1774, to leave England and go to America. This will turn out to be a wise decision; not only it will transform its life, but, also, offer us a great thinker at a time when America is at the throat of an independentist war.
Jumping into the debates, Thomas Paine does more that displaying all the arguments for politically burning the bridges with Europe. In order to better denounce British oppression, he attacks the foundations of the monarchy itself, hereditary and supported by a self-interested aristocracy. Going further, he even draft a new Constitution -a 'Continental Chart'. If the American government shouldn't be tied to a European monarchy, he shouldn't become a monarchy itself...
Published anonymously in Philadelphia back in 1776, 'Common Sense' is a radical pamphlet which will make its author famous (infamous?) on both sides of the Atlantic. Its impact and consequences, in fact, will be major -barely six months after its publication, the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed. After all, wasn't the cause of the American people, a people concerned about its 'natural rights' in the face of the oppression from a foreign monarchy, the cause, also, of humanity as a whole? France, for example, had then only little more than a decade to wait before delivering to the world its own revolution....
Dedicated to George Washington, the president of a nation he had encouraged the independence with fervour (seeing in its struggle the triumph of 'natural rights' over the tyranny of a monarchy) 'The Rights of Man' by Thomas Paine is in fact a criticism of 'Reflection on the Revolution in France' by Edmund Burke, published the previous year in 1790.
The thing is, unlike Burke defending a traditional order monarchy-nobility-clergy, Paine, on the contrary, encourages its overthrown to replace it by a representative democracy. As such, he therefore supports the French Revolution, with which he will distances himself only after the execution of Louis XVI.
The title says it all: unlike Burke, he perfectly understood that beyond an economic crisis and the violent events it triggered, here was in fact the triumph of a new political ideal, whereas citizens reclaimed their 'natural rights' then denied under an absolutist regime. It's about the sovereignty of the people, incarnated by a government defending the rights of all of its citizens, and overthrowing society as viewed by Burke and his followers that is, where sovereignty is held into the hands of a king, supported by an hereditary aristocracy, and justified by the 'superstitions' of a Church more concerned with its own vested interests than that of its common believers.
Thomas Paine, even, dares going further. Where Burke and the anti-revolutionaries worried about the future of the nobility and the clergy, he remained concerned solely with that of whose oppressed by the Old Regime: the poor. He proposes in fact a whole set of policies, from the education of children to the implementation of pensions for whose unable to sustain themselves, which are striking to read even nowadays!
You bet, anti-monarchist, mocking the idea that a government should be hereditary, a firm supporter of 'natural rights' and representative democracy, and a radical reformer, this 'Rights Of Man' is a punch in the face knocking even the British monarchy! The book, in fact, will be censored, and the author, judged in absentia, will seek refuge in France...
COMMON SENSE:
Following two failed marriages and a chaotic professional life leading him nowhere, Thomas Paine decided, in 1774, to leave England and go to America. This will turn out to be a wise decision; not only it will transform its life, but, also, offer us a great thinker at a time when America is at the throat of an independentist war.
Jumping into the debates, Thomas Paine does more that displaying all the arguments for politically burning the bridges with Europe. In order to better denounce British oppression, he attacks the foundations of the monarchy itself, hereditary and supported by a self-interested aristocracy. Going further, he even draft a new Constitution -a 'Continental Chart'. If the American government shouldn't be tied to a European monarchy, he shouldn't become a monarchy itself...
Published anonymously in Philadelphia back in 1776, 'Common Sense' is a radical pamphlet which will make its author famous (infamous?) on both sides of the Atlantic. Its impact and consequences, in fact, will be major -barely six months after its publication, the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed. After all, wasn't the cause of the American people, a people concerned about its 'natural rights' in the face of the oppression from a foreign monarchy, the cause, also, of humanity as a whole? France, for example, had then only little more than a decade to wait before delivering to the world its own revolution....
December 13, 2013
My school curriculum only had me read Common Sense, and The Crisis. But I'm okay with that. I think EVERY American needs to read these, at least once. Thomas Paine made point after awesome point about why America needs to be free from Britain, and it was really cool to read them. Sometimes I got really excited while reading it, and I am proud to be on the American side of it all. I really recommend it. I wish I could go back in time and tell Thomas Paine how cool he was.
January 9, 2021
I wanted to know what the fuss was all about and I wasn't disappointed.
It's easy to see how this pamphlet was able to feed the flame of the revolution. Paine's most famous work is also a powerful reminder of how strong opinions used to be on any matter and what passion learned people conveyed with their ideas.
Intense and decisive, I loved it.
It's easy to see how this pamphlet was able to feed the flame of the revolution. Paine's most famous work is also a powerful reminder of how strong opinions used to be on any matter and what passion learned people conveyed with their ideas.
Intense and decisive, I loved it.
February 3, 2024
This actually was not a paperback I printed the pages out. Fuck the trees, fuck monarchy, fuck subsidized trade, fuck the stamp act, fuck uncommon sense. 🦅
February 25, 2011
This is one of those reads that one has to take their time on. Paine makes his arguments eloquently; however, it is couched in the language of the day making for a longer read. One also has to have some understanding of the local time period in which he wrote. If one has little knowledge of the American and French Revolutions then some of the rhetoric will be lost. That being said, the essays on the Rights of Man, as well as The Age of Reason, are timeless. Paine's approach to inalienable rights -- rights everyone, slaves included, are entitled to by their birth onto this earth -- is logically constructed and moving. One can see how his writings influenced the ideas captured by the US and French constitutions. It is his essay, The Age of Reason, that is truly stunning.
Paine effectively calls into question the western world's three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He calls them all religions based on nothing more than hearsay. His deconstruction of Christian mythology is superbly done. He surely would have been in danger around Salem with what he put to paper. I'd warn anyone with strong religious views that this essay will anger them. He pulls no punches in calling into question religion and its usefulness. Paine is devoutly pro separation of Church and State and can probably be called the first individual to actually use that term. In my opinion, this essay displays Paine's brilliance as a writer. It's a moving piece of literature.
I highly recommend this work and find it disappointing that the Rights of Man is not mandatory reading in classrooms. It is well written and applies to today's world as much as it did in the late 1700s/early 1800s.
Paine effectively calls into question the western world's three major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He calls them all religions based on nothing more than hearsay. His deconstruction of Christian mythology is superbly done. He surely would have been in danger around Salem with what he put to paper. I'd warn anyone with strong religious views that this essay will anger them. He pulls no punches in calling into question religion and its usefulness. Paine is devoutly pro separation of Church and State and can probably be called the first individual to actually use that term. In my opinion, this essay displays Paine's brilliance as a writer. It's a moving piece of literature.
I highly recommend this work and find it disappointing that the Rights of Man is not mandatory reading in classrooms. It is well written and applies to today's world as much as it did in the late 1700s/early 1800s.
October 21, 2014
I go through periods of reading to fill in gaps in my education. I was familiar with Paine's role in American history but had never read any of his writing. Though short, I did not find this an easy read. I found the style a bit condescending (I'm explaining this to you and you will agree with me because of course I'm right) though I try to view this type of writing in its historical context. And it is something one wants to think over as one reads, or what is the point in reading it?!
How revolutionary this must have seemed: though Americans were growing restive under English control, the idea of a country without a king and that citizens could rule themselves through representative self-government was radical. And note that Paine also argues for the freedom of religion (though within the confines of Christianity) and the separation of church & state. There is a lot of material here that found its way into the foundation of American: an important read for any study of American history.
How revolutionary this must have seemed: though Americans were growing restive under English control, the idea of a country without a king and that citizens could rule themselves through representative self-government was radical. And note that Paine also argues for the freedom of religion (though within the confines of Christianity) and the separation of church & state. There is a lot of material here that found its way into the foundation of American: an important read for any study of American history.
September 5, 2008
I don't know how to review books like this one. On a personal level I liked it but did struggle with some parts of it-- more because I find that 18th century language is a little off-putting for me. However, I am so glad that I was forced to read this book for class.
It is almost a cliche to say that this book is incredibly important to American history. It is also a book that is easy to read in excerpts in other sources, so reading the whole thing was helpful and something I've been putting off far too long.
The Signet collection's introduction and footnotes are quite helpful and do unpack a lot of Paine's philosophy and contextualize it within the Enlightenment.
It is almost a cliche to say that this book is incredibly important to American history. It is also a book that is easy to read in excerpts in other sources, so reading the whole thing was helpful and something I've been putting off far too long.
The Signet collection's introduction and footnotes are quite helpful and do unpack a lot of Paine's philosophy and contextualize it within the Enlightenment.
March 2, 2015
I give "Rights of Man" 3 1/2 stars because I have severe mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I loved how much insight Paine gave on government and how much he made me think about what really occurs within our government, making it 4 stars worthy. On the other hand, he seemed slightly repetitive and seemed to use circular reasoning a lot and constantly landed on the same point, making it 3 stars worthy. Over all, I thought it was very insightful and very advanced thinking for the late 1700's, but he seemed to drone on at points making it a little tedious to read.
Nonfiction
Nonfiction
December 18, 2012
This man had something to say, and he did so very well, without sparing the king of England, or the monarchical institution one bit. And I couldn't agree with him more. Of course the United States were only an idealistic concept at the time, but I wonder what he'd have to say about them today. Very good book, and a surprisingly easy read.
December 31, 2009
I always thought this was the original Common Sense, not the one penned by Glen Beck.
June 12, 2016
Soooo boring. Gosh. Common sense should tell you to not read this book. Ever.
April 28, 2024
John Adams didn’t think too much of Thomas Paine, saying—among other things—that Paine was better at tearing things down than building them up. That feeling may have followed Paine’s Age of Reason, the next-to-last of his writings to appear in this book.
I mostly purchased this to have in my possession what Origins of the American Revolution credited with turning the colonial public against the King: Common Sense. I wanted to read it to find out just how much it might have riled people up. Ultimately, I was underwhelmed with it. Paine doesn’t attack George III like I expected him to, but rather destroys the idea of kings in general. In that, at least, it was effective. Common Sense was shorter than I anticipated too, but I found myself enamored with Paine’s colorful language and his use of metaphor.
The Crisis, written during the American Revolution, was equally enjoyable to read except that I only had “selections” in this collection, and some of those too broken up to be of much value.
Rights of Man is Paine’s defense of the French Revolution, in response to Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France. It was a little off my chosen path of American history, yet Paine couples the revolutions in American and France frequently, seeing the first as a shining light leading the way for the second, as well as those throughout Europe sure to follow. Much longer than I felt necessary, Paine’s rebuttal does its job but is much more mundane than his other writings, redundant, and oftentimes with unnecessary argument—which even he admits.
Next is The Age of Reason, again selections, but I think the editor’s intent was satisfied. Paine here ‘tears down’ religion in general. He calls out Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, but with this collection the focus is almost exclusively on Christianity. It may a very appalling read, for some.
Last is Agrarian Justice, in which Paine easily solves world poverty by claiming all people have to do is give up their inheritance. Easy for him to say, anyway.
My English and Philosophy degrees let me get a lot more enjoyment out of this than most twenty-first century readers would, yet I can see why the curmudgeonly John Adams would have been less than impressed with Paine’s bluster. The American colonists did not want to separate from England because of the king, specifically. But Paine convinced them that they should. Down came the statue of King George.
I mostly purchased this to have in my possession what Origins of the American Revolution credited with turning the colonial public against the King: Common Sense. I wanted to read it to find out just how much it might have riled people up. Ultimately, I was underwhelmed with it. Paine doesn’t attack George III like I expected him to, but rather destroys the idea of kings in general. In that, at least, it was effective. Common Sense was shorter than I anticipated too, but I found myself enamored with Paine’s colorful language and his use of metaphor.
The Crisis, written during the American Revolution, was equally enjoyable to read except that I only had “selections” in this collection, and some of those too broken up to be of much value.
Rights of Man is Paine’s defense of the French Revolution, in response to Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France. It was a little off my chosen path of American history, yet Paine couples the revolutions in American and France frequently, seeing the first as a shining light leading the way for the second, as well as those throughout Europe sure to follow. Much longer than I felt necessary, Paine’s rebuttal does its job but is much more mundane than his other writings, redundant, and oftentimes with unnecessary argument—which even he admits.
Next is The Age of Reason, again selections, but I think the editor’s intent was satisfied. Paine here ‘tears down’ religion in general. He calls out Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, but with this collection the focus is almost exclusively on Christianity. It may a very appalling read, for some.
Last is Agrarian Justice, in which Paine easily solves world poverty by claiming all people have to do is give up their inheritance. Easy for him to say, anyway.
My English and Philosophy degrees let me get a lot more enjoyment out of this than most twenty-first century readers would, yet I can see why the curmudgeonly John Adams would have been less than impressed with Paine’s bluster. The American colonists did not want to separate from England because of the king, specifically. But Paine convinced them that they should. Down came the statue of King George.
January 8, 2025
I disagree with Paine on some issues, mainly his optimistic Lockean view of human nature. However, it is astonishing to me and admirable to me the degree of modernism with which he writes. His views are so shocking in line with what we believe today and unlike what was common then that it is as if you took someone from the 21st century and placed them in the 1700s. His views of international trade, economics, the absurdity of inheritable government, slavery and religion are spookily modern.
I think Paine would be overjoyed at seeing the world today which operates now in many of the assumptions he and some who he agreed with had. He would probably have room to disagree with the operation of our world. However I think he would be ecstatic to see the state of Europe and the creation of the EU as well as the continued operation of the US. He mentions that in his time a "political spring" had begun and I certainly think he was right in predicting that as we (atleast many of us) now get to live in the "political summer" with functional institutions, representative governments, and commitments to human rights.
I think Paine would be overjoyed at seeing the world today which operates now in many of the assumptions he and some who he agreed with had. He would probably have room to disagree with the operation of our world. However I think he would be ecstatic to see the state of Europe and the creation of the EU as well as the continued operation of the US. He mentions that in his time a "political spring" had begun and I certainly think he was right in predicting that as we (atleast many of us) now get to live in the "political summer" with functional institutions, representative governments, and commitments to human rights.
August 23, 2025
This book has aged really well. Written by an Englishman who immigrated to America 2 yrs before the American revolution. Payne did a great job speaking both to the timid colonists and the large set of English loyalists about the “common sense” reasons why the only way forward for the colonies was independence. His arguments are very applicable to today’s world, especially the contemporary divisions in our America.
My favorite quotes are:
Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil…
For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king
Common sense will tell us, that the power which hath endeavored to subdue us, is of all others, the most improper to defend us.
My favorite quotes are:
Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil…
For as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king
Common sense will tell us, that the power which hath endeavored to subdue us, is of all others, the most improper to defend us.
April 8, 2020
I chose to only read Common Sense out of this collection. I find it interesting as a historic reading, as a document that generated the American Revolution. However, I didn't manage to identify anything exceptional in it. Indeed this is a pamphlet written to be accessible to the layman, therefore it couldn't go to deep into analysis. Even so, it is a respectable historical document, but relevant only in the context of the success of the American Revolution, as it is a doctrinal programme of the Revolution, meant to excite the spirits of the colonials, not really provide meaningful reason for the Revolution itself other than "King bad. Very bad!"
December 5, 2024
Incredibly relevant despite its age. I would tell the American public to read through this again. If we had listened the first time, we could have avoided a lot of problems in government. I feel like this should be the last book you have to read before exiting high school rather than being given the glossy version in elementary school and crumbs of truth from thereon out. We're falling back into tyranny, but it need not be the only recourse. Except for the giving native Americans blankets part, the optics on that aren't so great in 2024. It was nice in spirit but in practice it killed thousands. So no blankets. Sorry.
December 9, 2021
2.5 I had high expectations for this due to it's reputation for inspiring many of the founding fathers , but this fell rather flat for me. My rating is based solely on my enjoyment while reading it, not it's importance in American history.
Popsugar 2021-A book that was published anonymously
Popsugar 2021-A book that was published anonymously
February 6, 2019
Paine is the beacon of rationality and common sense. The Age of Reason and Common Sense speaks on volume how an enlightened man he was, especially for his time!
February 20, 2020
These are the times that try men's souls.
If you're into American history, or literature, or politics, or anything that might be influenced by these other things, then you are probably familiar with the above quote. It's one of those quotes that you can hear in isolation, not really be familiar with it's original contexts, you may even find cliche or overused sometimes, and yet you can't help but feel some kind of... weight to it. That might not describe you, but it's an accurate depiction of how I feel when I hear or read that first line from Thomas Paine's first 'The Crisis' essay. It's one of those phrases that, even if you know nothing of the time of the American Revolution, you feel like you understand those 'times' being spoken of, and the 'trying' of the soul the author's referring to. No sacrilege intended, but it reminds me of biblical passages in some way - not a specific passage, but it has that 'feel' to it: a truth spoken or written in a specific context (in this case the Revolutionary War) that has a transcendent, almost universal quality to it that applies to generations and events far beyond the initial context.
What am I doing? This is not an essay on this one line, or a deep memoir about my personal connections to a single phrase from Thomas Paine - it's supposed to be a review of this compilation of a number of his works, so I'll get started on that and be as brief as I can.
Compilations are interesting to review - by 'interesting' I mean 'almost impossible'.
Even though the works might be by one author, each one is written in a different context, for a different reason, and to a different audience. Even when the audience and context are similar between several pieces (such as the case is with most of the works in this compilation) the approach used in each situation, and the intended goal of the writing, makes each piece so unique that it would be unjust to review them all as one lump. That being the case, I will take each work from this compilation and give some brief thoughts on each.
First, however, I'll say that my initial impression to this compilation was similar to my experience with The Federalist Papers: overwhelming and beyond my general scope of comprehension at many points, this being due mainly to a lack of historical awareness and mastery of older styles of formal English literature. After some reflection and re-reading, however, I find myself in the company of those in awe of the zeal, passion, and articulation of Mr. Paine. When the context of the time and circumstances in which he was writing are taken into consideration, it's no wonder that his work was saved, cherished, and preserved through the centuries to be revered and respected by us today.
Common Sense
It is my impression that Thomas Paine is most renowned for his pamphlet 'Common Sense', which is listed first in the title of the compilation, and is in the chief (first) place of the order of the works in the book. It's a short work (only ~50 pages + a ~20 page appendix in this edition) but it's fiery and unapologetic. You can look up any number of good summaries on YouTube for all of these works, but, for a little context here: Writing in the time of uncertainty of the mid-to-late-1770's, Paine wanted to clearly articulate his opinion that the only course of action that lay before the Colonies of America was to separate from their European overlord and fight for their independence. Paine said the only other option - attempted reconciliation - was the surest way to doom themselves to perpetual slavery and misery. He lays out reasons for why monarchy is repulsive and immoral, why now is the right time to seek independence, and encouragement that victory is possible, and even likely, given the current state of things. Paine is brief, blunt, and bristling in this short piece. I was surprised to find such an important piece of historical literature to be so short, but it's apparent that Paine found his position so 'common sense' that he did not need to belabor the point and beat around the bush to express it. I found it very compelling and well-written. I agree with the many I've heard saying it is a necessary read for anyone interested in learning more about the Founding Era of American history. John Adams apparently felt so strongly about this work that he said 'Without the pen of Paine, the sword of Washington would have been wielded in vain.' I'm inclined to believe him.
The Crisis
One of the few disappointments of this compilation is that some of the included pieces are merely 'selections' of the larger work, as is the case with 'The Crisis' - I want to read the whole thing! This work was (apparently) originally a series of articles written by Paine over the course of the Revolutionary War to encourage the Colonies in their fight for liberty and instill in the people a reminder of what it was they were contending for exactly. I found the provided selections of 'The Crisis' to be riveting reads! Paine retains the charge and passion about the Revolution from 'Common Sense' as he reminds America of the ideas they are fighting against and reports on the state of the War. At points, he even addresses the British army with the same characteristic bristling, and at times sarcastic, attitude he's known for, but maybe even in a greater degree towards the opposition. The narratives of the different battles and his opinions on the good and bad strategies of each army at different times made for very interesting passages; the encouragement and 'state of the Union' material is really more of the same from his 'Common Sense' material, which is a good thing. Overall, I very much look forward to reading 'The Crisis' in its entirety soon.
The Rights of Man
I had already read The Rights of Man as a standalone book last year, and so I skipped it when I came to it in this compilation. I plan on re-reading it at some point and giving a more in-depth review of it separately, but didn't feel like writing a review within a review at this point.
The Age of Reason
This was also, unfortunately, another 'selected' work and I also look forward to reading the entirety of this when the opportunity arises one day. In its reduced form for this compilation, 'The Age of Reason' was... interesting to say the least. Paine was clearly a very opinionated person and was also very confident in his opinions - I can see how polarizing his work would have been to his initial audience, spurring people to either hate him or love him. I envy his passion and zeal, as well as his tenacity and capacity for knowledge, but I do not envy his confusion on the topic of religion. Everyone, in many ways, is a product of their time, and Thomas Paine was no different. 'The Age of Reason' was his attempt to explicitly lay out his views and thoughts on the existence and nature of God and religion. In the end, regardless of where he was earlier in his life, he wound up appearing to be some kind of moralistic deist - someone who desperately wanted people to live ethical and free lives, but one who avoided the idea that any one religion truly captured the nature of God accurately. As someone who is passionate about Christian apologetics, it was difficult to read his objections to a faith I find to be so compelling and rich. Though he deeply appreciated the Christian religion as an ethical system, and Jesus as a moral teacher, he found the religious system of the Church to be a tower built on myth, and Jesus to be a figure built into an unfortunate legend. I won't go into depth here about the specific claims and my responses, but I will say that these Enlightenment-era objections to Christianity, though perhaps daunting and logical to a person of that time, have now been satisfactorily answered and, though remnants of these views remain, they have for the most part been abandoned by critics of Christianity today. 'The Age of Reason' is a fascinating look into the life of a great thinker, however, and I, again, look forward to seeing the entirety of the work.
Agrarian Justice
This is the last piece in the compilation and, honestly, seemed to be very contextualized and not perhaps as universal in its scope and application as the rest of the works. To be even more honest, it has been very forgettable to me: it's Paine's proposition for a type of tax on those that own land to help those that do not. The specifics are very era-dependent and don't seem easily comparable to the current state of America, although I'm sure those more historically- and politically-inclined would have more to say about that. I'm sure there are principles within and behind this work that transcend the late 18th century, but they're lost on someone like me. It was interesting, but not much beyond that.
Overall
Taken as a whole, this compilation was worth the read. My interest in the Founding Era of America is both partially satisfied and enlarged simultaneously. It is fascinating to read what the great minds of American history have had to say about the creation of our nation and Thomas Paine is said to be one of the 'forgotten' Founding Fathers. Again, the most disappointing aspect of this particular compilation, although well-formatted and the size is convenient, is the works that have only selections. I understand why the decision was made to 'select' them, and the parts included are terrific, but I despise the thought (for better or worse) of having some kind of abridged or paraphrased version of some great work! The other collections of Paine's writings that include the full versions of his work are more expensive and several hundred additional pages in length, but this smaller collection has forced me to consider investing in one of the larger. This compilation was essentially me paying he full price of it to only get 'Common Sense' (which is great!), seeing as I already own The Rights of Man and the other works were only selections - samples to tantalize me. Regardless, this was worth the read and the money spent. I encourage everyone, especially my American friends, to see what the Founding Era thinkers and writers had to say about our country so we can all better understand what to do about it today. Thomas Paine seems to be a great place to start!
If you're into American history, or literature, or politics, or anything that might be influenced by these other things, then you are probably familiar with the above quote. It's one of those quotes that you can hear in isolation, not really be familiar with it's original contexts, you may even find cliche or overused sometimes, and yet you can't help but feel some kind of... weight to it. That might not describe you, but it's an accurate depiction of how I feel when I hear or read that first line from Thomas Paine's first 'The Crisis' essay. It's one of those phrases that, even if you know nothing of the time of the American Revolution, you feel like you understand those 'times' being spoken of, and the 'trying' of the soul the author's referring to. No sacrilege intended, but it reminds me of biblical passages in some way - not a specific passage, but it has that 'feel' to it: a truth spoken or written in a specific context (in this case the Revolutionary War) that has a transcendent, almost universal quality to it that applies to generations and events far beyond the initial context.
What am I doing? This is not an essay on this one line, or a deep memoir about my personal connections to a single phrase from Thomas Paine - it's supposed to be a review of this compilation of a number of his works, so I'll get started on that and be as brief as I can.
Compilations are interesting to review - by 'interesting' I mean 'almost impossible'.
Even though the works might be by one author, each one is written in a different context, for a different reason, and to a different audience. Even when the audience and context are similar between several pieces (such as the case is with most of the works in this compilation) the approach used in each situation, and the intended goal of the writing, makes each piece so unique that it would be unjust to review them all as one lump. That being the case, I will take each work from this compilation and give some brief thoughts on each.
First, however, I'll say that my initial impression to this compilation was similar to my experience with The Federalist Papers: overwhelming and beyond my general scope of comprehension at many points, this being due mainly to a lack of historical awareness and mastery of older styles of formal English literature. After some reflection and re-reading, however, I find myself in the company of those in awe of the zeal, passion, and articulation of Mr. Paine. When the context of the time and circumstances in which he was writing are taken into consideration, it's no wonder that his work was saved, cherished, and preserved through the centuries to be revered and respected by us today.
Common Sense
It is my impression that Thomas Paine is most renowned for his pamphlet 'Common Sense', which is listed first in the title of the compilation, and is in the chief (first) place of the order of the works in the book. It's a short work (only ~50 pages + a ~20 page appendix in this edition) but it's fiery and unapologetic. You can look up any number of good summaries on YouTube for all of these works, but, for a little context here: Writing in the time of uncertainty of the mid-to-late-1770's, Paine wanted to clearly articulate his opinion that the only course of action that lay before the Colonies of America was to separate from their European overlord and fight for their independence. Paine said the only other option - attempted reconciliation - was the surest way to doom themselves to perpetual slavery and misery. He lays out reasons for why monarchy is repulsive and immoral, why now is the right time to seek independence, and encouragement that victory is possible, and even likely, given the current state of things. Paine is brief, blunt, and bristling in this short piece. I was surprised to find such an important piece of historical literature to be so short, but it's apparent that Paine found his position so 'common sense' that he did not need to belabor the point and beat around the bush to express it. I found it very compelling and well-written. I agree with the many I've heard saying it is a necessary read for anyone interested in learning more about the Founding Era of American history. John Adams apparently felt so strongly about this work that he said 'Without the pen of Paine, the sword of Washington would have been wielded in vain.' I'm inclined to believe him.
The Crisis
One of the few disappointments of this compilation is that some of the included pieces are merely 'selections' of the larger work, as is the case with 'The Crisis' - I want to read the whole thing! This work was (apparently) originally a series of articles written by Paine over the course of the Revolutionary War to encourage the Colonies in their fight for liberty and instill in the people a reminder of what it was they were contending for exactly. I found the provided selections of 'The Crisis' to be riveting reads! Paine retains the charge and passion about the Revolution from 'Common Sense' as he reminds America of the ideas they are fighting against and reports on the state of the War. At points, he even addresses the British army with the same characteristic bristling, and at times sarcastic, attitude he's known for, but maybe even in a greater degree towards the opposition. The narratives of the different battles and his opinions on the good and bad strategies of each army at different times made for very interesting passages; the encouragement and 'state of the Union' material is really more of the same from his 'Common Sense' material, which is a good thing. Overall, I very much look forward to reading 'The Crisis' in its entirety soon.
The Rights of Man
I had already read The Rights of Man as a standalone book last year, and so I skipped it when I came to it in this compilation. I plan on re-reading it at some point and giving a more in-depth review of it separately, but didn't feel like writing a review within a review at this point.
The Age of Reason
This was also, unfortunately, another 'selected' work and I also look forward to reading the entirety of this when the opportunity arises one day. In its reduced form for this compilation, 'The Age of Reason' was... interesting to say the least. Paine was clearly a very opinionated person and was also very confident in his opinions - I can see how polarizing his work would have been to his initial audience, spurring people to either hate him or love him. I envy his passion and zeal, as well as his tenacity and capacity for knowledge, but I do not envy his confusion on the topic of religion. Everyone, in many ways, is a product of their time, and Thomas Paine was no different. 'The Age of Reason' was his attempt to explicitly lay out his views and thoughts on the existence and nature of God and religion. In the end, regardless of where he was earlier in his life, he wound up appearing to be some kind of moralistic deist - someone who desperately wanted people to live ethical and free lives, but one who avoided the idea that any one religion truly captured the nature of God accurately. As someone who is passionate about Christian apologetics, it was difficult to read his objections to a faith I find to be so compelling and rich. Though he deeply appreciated the Christian religion as an ethical system, and Jesus as a moral teacher, he found the religious system of the Church to be a tower built on myth, and Jesus to be a figure built into an unfortunate legend. I won't go into depth here about the specific claims and my responses, but I will say that these Enlightenment-era objections to Christianity, though perhaps daunting and logical to a person of that time, have now been satisfactorily answered and, though remnants of these views remain, they have for the most part been abandoned by critics of Christianity today. 'The Age of Reason' is a fascinating look into the life of a great thinker, however, and I, again, look forward to seeing the entirety of the work.
Agrarian Justice
This is the last piece in the compilation and, honestly, seemed to be very contextualized and not perhaps as universal in its scope and application as the rest of the works. To be even more honest, it has been very forgettable to me: it's Paine's proposition for a type of tax on those that own land to help those that do not. The specifics are very era-dependent and don't seem easily comparable to the current state of America, although I'm sure those more historically- and politically-inclined would have more to say about that. I'm sure there are principles within and behind this work that transcend the late 18th century, but they're lost on someone like me. It was interesting, but not much beyond that.
Overall
Taken as a whole, this compilation was worth the read. My interest in the Founding Era of America is both partially satisfied and enlarged simultaneously. It is fascinating to read what the great minds of American history have had to say about the creation of our nation and Thomas Paine is said to be one of the 'forgotten' Founding Fathers. Again, the most disappointing aspect of this particular compilation, although well-formatted and the size is convenient, is the works that have only selections. I understand why the decision was made to 'select' them, and the parts included are terrific, but I despise the thought (for better or worse) of having some kind of abridged or paraphrased version of some great work! The other collections of Paine's writings that include the full versions of his work are more expensive and several hundred additional pages in length, but this smaller collection has forced me to consider investing in one of the larger. This compilation was essentially me paying he full price of it to only get 'Common Sense' (which is great!), seeing as I already own The Rights of Man and the other works were only selections - samples to tantalize me. Regardless, this was worth the read and the money spent. I encourage everyone, especially my American friends, to see what the Founding Era thinkers and writers had to say about our country so we can all better understand what to do about it today. Thomas Paine seems to be a great place to start!
Read
October 31, 2014Paine demonstrates some great critical thinking in his essay "The Age of Reason" where he extensively exposes inconsistencies and fallacies in the old and new testament. However, he stops short in applying his critical thinking skills. My primary purpose for reading this collection was to see for myself how Paine attempts to build (or convey) a theory of rights. In my reading of both "Rights of Man" and "Age of Reason" Paine implicitly takes as incontrovertible and foundationally axiomatic that God exists. This poses a problem for atheists like myself. I suspect that Paine would reply that the problem was with my judgment and not with the lack of a foundation for rights in absence of God or a creator. For support I give you these snippets from "The Rights of Man"
"The illuminating and divine principle of the equal rights of man (for it has its origin from the Maker of man) relates, not only to the living individuals, but to generations of men succeeding each other."
"...; and consequently every child born into the world must be considered as deriving its existence from God."
"The duty of man... consists but of two points. His duty to God, which every man must feel; and with respect to his neighbor, to do as he would be done by."
This last quote demonstrates three presuppositions combined together. First that God exists which Paine never offers proof of beyond referring to all that exists as if it necessarily follows that if all this exists then of course God exists but also the duty we owe to this claimed creator (failing the is-ought problem) and to others, then we have the subjective standard of the golden rule which isn't a standard at all seeing as some people do want to be hurt and hurt others. None of this is addressed by Paine anywhere that I could find.
If you ignore all the God talk you do get a nice little quote later on that I believe most people have taken out of context (ie. all the God talk)
"Natural rights are those which appertain to man in right of his existence. Of this kind are all the intellectual rights, or rights of the mind, and also all those rights of acting as an individual for his own comfort and happiness, which are not injurious to the natural rights of others."
Taken out of context that is pretty cool. Taken in context it breaks down for atheists before it gets started. You might be able to argue that the duty to others he refers to earlier is to be taken as requirement of respecting others rights if yours are to be respected "... not injurious to the natural rights of others". Which might work in isolation but remember you still owe all this to an unproven creator.
We do also get a definition of civil rights, which I'm still not fully clear on.
"Civil rights are those which appertain to man in right of his being a member of society. Every civil right has for its foundation some natural right pre-existing in the individual, but to the enjoyment of which his individual power is not, in all cases, sufficiently competent. Of this kind are all those which relate to security and protection."
I believe this is explained later.
"A man, by natural right, has a right to judge in his own cause; and so far as the right of the mind is concerned, he never surrenders it. But what availeth it him to judge, if he has not power to redress? He therefore deposits this right in the common stock of society, and takes the ann of society, of which he is a part, in preference and in addition to his own."
"The illuminating and divine principle of the equal rights of man (for it has its origin from the Maker of man) relates, not only to the living individuals, but to generations of men succeeding each other."
"...; and consequently every child born into the world must be considered as deriving its existence from God."
"The duty of man... consists but of two points. His duty to God, which every man must feel; and with respect to his neighbor, to do as he would be done by."
This last quote demonstrates three presuppositions combined together. First that God exists which Paine never offers proof of beyond referring to all that exists as if it necessarily follows that if all this exists then of course God exists but also the duty we owe to this claimed creator (failing the is-ought problem) and to others, then we have the subjective standard of the golden rule which isn't a standard at all seeing as some people do want to be hurt and hurt others. None of this is addressed by Paine anywhere that I could find.
If you ignore all the God talk you do get a nice little quote later on that I believe most people have taken out of context (ie. all the God talk)
"Natural rights are those which appertain to man in right of his existence. Of this kind are all the intellectual rights, or rights of the mind, and also all those rights of acting as an individual for his own comfort and happiness, which are not injurious to the natural rights of others."
Taken out of context that is pretty cool. Taken in context it breaks down for atheists before it gets started. You might be able to argue that the duty to others he refers to earlier is to be taken as requirement of respecting others rights if yours are to be respected "... not injurious to the natural rights of others". Which might work in isolation but remember you still owe all this to an unproven creator.
We do also get a definition of civil rights, which I'm still not fully clear on.
"Civil rights are those which appertain to man in right of his being a member of society. Every civil right has for its foundation some natural right pre-existing in the individual, but to the enjoyment of which his individual power is not, in all cases, sufficiently competent. Of this kind are all those which relate to security and protection."
I believe this is explained later.
"A man, by natural right, has a right to judge in his own cause; and so far as the right of the mind is concerned, he never surrenders it. But what availeth it him to judge, if he has not power to redress? He therefore deposits this right in the common stock of society, and takes the ann of society, of which he is a part, in preference and in addition to his own."
June 7, 2010
As America's "first" best seller, I can see why this piece was a hit. Paine describes the political stage at the end of the 18th century and vehemently accuses the tories that were still under the British ideology. Mr. Paine had no hair on his tongue, or his pen for that matter. It is obvious why he was hated, although I give him credit for writing about what was not so clear to some and nebulous to others.
Quotes I liked:
"I have always held it an opinion (making it also my practice) that it is better to obey a bad law, making use at the same time of every argument to show its errors and procure its repeal, than forcibly to violate it; because the precedent of breaking a bad law might weaken the force, and lead to a discretionary violation of those which are good."
"In no instance hath nature made the satellite larger than its primary planet" re: England and American in respect to each other as he questioned why England, at the time, ruled America.
"Youth is the seed time of good habits, as well in nations as in individuals."
"Mankind have lived for very little purpose, if, at this period of the world, they must go back two or three thousand years back for lessons and examples." re: the constant use of ancient greek and roman legal precedents to justify present ones.
"When the tongue or the pen is let loose in a frenzy of passion, it is the man, and not the subject, that becomes exhausted."
"It requires but a very small glance of thought to perceive that although laws made in one generation often continue in force through succeeding generations, yet that they continue to derive their force from the consent of the living. A law not repealed continues in force, not because it cannot be repealed, but because it is not repealed; and the non-repealing passes for consent."
"A casual discontinuance of the practice of despotism, is not a discontinuance of its principles."
"A Constitution is a thing antecedent to a government, and a government is only the creature of a Constitution."
"The mind, in discovering truth, acts in the same manner as it acts through the eye in discovering objects; when once any object has been seen, it is impossible to put the mind back to the same condition it was in before it saw it."
"Government is nothing more than a national association acting on the principles of society."
"What Athens was in miniature, America will be in magnitude."
"All power exercised over a Nation must have some beginning. It must either be delegated or assumed. There are no other sources. All delegated power is trust, and all assumed power is usurpation. Time does not alter the nature and quality of either."
"The defect was not in the principle but in the distribution of power." re: Articles of Confederation
"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good."
Quotes I liked:
"I have always held it an opinion (making it also my practice) that it is better to obey a bad law, making use at the same time of every argument to show its errors and procure its repeal, than forcibly to violate it; because the precedent of breaking a bad law might weaken the force, and lead to a discretionary violation of those which are good."
"In no instance hath nature made the satellite larger than its primary planet" re: England and American in respect to each other as he questioned why England, at the time, ruled America.
"Youth is the seed time of good habits, as well in nations as in individuals."
"Mankind have lived for very little purpose, if, at this period of the world, they must go back two or three thousand years back for lessons and examples." re: the constant use of ancient greek and roman legal precedents to justify present ones.
"When the tongue or the pen is let loose in a frenzy of passion, it is the man, and not the subject, that becomes exhausted."
"It requires but a very small glance of thought to perceive that although laws made in one generation often continue in force through succeeding generations, yet that they continue to derive their force from the consent of the living. A law not repealed continues in force, not because it cannot be repealed, but because it is not repealed; and the non-repealing passes for consent."
"A casual discontinuance of the practice of despotism, is not a discontinuance of its principles."
"A Constitution is a thing antecedent to a government, and a government is only the creature of a Constitution."
"The mind, in discovering truth, acts in the same manner as it acts through the eye in discovering objects; when once any object has been seen, it is impossible to put the mind back to the same condition it was in before it saw it."
"Government is nothing more than a national association acting on the principles of society."
"What Athens was in miniature, America will be in magnitude."
"All power exercised over a Nation must have some beginning. It must either be delegated or assumed. There are no other sources. All delegated power is trust, and all assumed power is usurpation. Time does not alter the nature and quality of either."
"The defect was not in the principle but in the distribution of power." re: Articles of Confederation
"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good."
August 23, 2008
"Common Sense": A true political and philosophical masterpiece! Written in plain english and will garner a response from anyone who reads it. I asked a person if they ever read "Common Sense" and he told me that he read it in high school. When I mentioned they should read it again he dismissed it as required high school reading. Well fuck that! Paine is the only writer who is a true philosopher who offers a true pragmatic alternative (fuck the rest of them: Jean-Paul Sartre, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Heidegger, etc... all they ever did is whine about life in intellectual ways). His use of plain writing and pure logical thinking makes "Common Sense" one of the most important works of political philosphy of all time. The writing is also very poetic without being ham-fisted or long winded(i.e. "Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence"), and as inciteful and down to earth as anything I've ever heard ("Let the names of Whig and Tory be extinct; and let none other be heard among us, than those of A GOOD CITIZEN, AN OPEN AND RESOLUTE FRIEND, AND A VIRTUOUS SUPPORTER OF THE RIGHTS OF MANKIND AND OF THE FREE AND INDEPENDANT STATES OF AMERICA").
Like how Marx's "Communist Manifesto" and Mao's "Red Book" was required reading for all people in communist Russia and China respectively, "Common Sense" should be required reading for all school children all over the world. It's a work that not only explains where our inherent independent streak comes from, it shows the teeth of the American Revolution's ideals that we Americans (although in smaller numbers) still fight for today.
Liberty over tyranny.
Or even better...
Question authority, then ignore it.
Like how Marx's "Communist Manifesto" and Mao's "Red Book" was required reading for all people in communist Russia and China respectively, "Common Sense" should be required reading for all school children all over the world. It's a work that not only explains where our inherent independent streak comes from, it shows the teeth of the American Revolution's ideals that we Americans (although in smaller numbers) still fight for today.
Liberty over tyranny.
Or even better...
Question authority, then ignore it.
December 4, 2013
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
Amazon.com Review"These are the times that try men's souls," begins Thomas Paine's first Crisis paper, the impassioned pamphlet that helped ignite the American Revolution. Published in Philadelphia in January of 1776, Common Sense sold 150,000 copies almost immediately. A powerful piece of propaganda, it attacked the idea of a hereditary monarchy, dismissed the chance for reconciliation with England, and outlined the economic benefits of independence while espousing equality of rights among citizens. Paine fanned a flame that was already burning, but many historians argue that his work unified dissenting voices and persuaded patriots that the American Revolution was not only necessary, but an epochal step in world history.
Review“No writer has exceeded Paine in ease and familiarity of style; in perspicuity of expression, happiness of elucidation, and in simple unassuming language.” —Thomas Jefferson
From the Trade Paperback edition.
November 8, 2012
The political pamphlet written in 1775 Common Sense by Thomas Paine lays out in clear and precise language why the colonies were ready for independence. At the time of its publication it made a big impact on the colonists and in many cases bent them toward independence and self-government. Beginning with the faults of hereditary monarchy and ending with the geographical, financial and moral reasons for breaking colonial ties with England and explaining the pitfalls and disadvantages to a possible peaceful continuance of the status qua. This work has often been thought of as a cornerstone of the Declaration of Independence and, in itself, is an important of U.S. history. I wouldn’t be adverse to seeing it as mandatory reading in all U.S. schools.
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