Common Sense

Apr 28, 2010 Steve rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: politics

Some would disregard this work as significant only as a "period piece." No. This is a work of near-perfection in political argument: every section is mature, thoroughly considered, and argued forcefully. I found myself at the end wondering if there could be any question or disagreement with Paine.

But at the foundation of this work is a profound Rousseauvian political philosophy. Everything is considered; Paine starts from the beginning of human history and takes us to the present day, leaving n...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Rawan_n rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

كتاب مبسط يحمل افكار كبيرة، ستة وستون صفحة تبين براعة أسلوب الكاتب ولباقة نقده وتفكيره المنطقي على تحليل الأمور.
نشر في سنة ١٧٧٦ قبل عامين من إعلان استقلال الولايات المتحدة وقد لاقى الشهرة والقبول،
موجهًا حديثه إلى سكان المستعمرات الأمريكية للمطالبة في الاستقلال عن بريطانيا العظمى وإقامة دولة فيدرالية موحدة، في أربعة فصول يوجز آراؤه وقد توقع في المقدمة وجود مخالفين له معللاً أن اعتياد شيء خاطئًا وقتا طويلا يعطيه مظهرا زائفا من الصحة، في الفصل الأول تحدث عن الفرق بين الحكومة والمجتمع، متحيزا للأخي...more كتاب مبسط يحمل افكار كبيرة، ستة وستون صفحة تبين براعة أسلوب الكاتب ولباقة نقده وتفكيره المنطقي على تحليل الأمور.
نشر في سنة ١٧٧٦ قبل عامين من إعلان استقلال الولايات المتحدة وقد لاقى الشهرة والقبول،
موجهًا حديثه إلى سكان المستعمرات الأمريكية للمطالبة في الاستقلال عن بريطانيا العظمى وإقامة دولة فيدرالية موحدة، في أربعة فصول يوجز آراؤه وقد توقع في المقدمة وجود مخالفين له معللاً أن اعتياد شيء خاطئًا وقتا طويلا يعطيه مظهرا زائفا من الصحة، في الفصل الأول تحدث عن الفرق بين الحكومة والمجتمع، متحيزا للأخير، رغم قوله "الحكومات شر لا بد منه"، ولو كانت ضمائر البشر جميعهم نقية لما احتاجوا لمشرع سوى ضميرهم، ثم أوجز في تعليقات على استبداد الدستور الإنجليزي آن ذاك،-ولو اسقطناها على بعض الدساتير المعاصرة لوجدنا كثير من المتشابهات-،
في الفصل الثاني هاجم فكرة الملكية والخلافة الوراثية وأنها تنافي الفطرة السليمة، وكيف يصنف الملك بأنّه ممثلا لله رغم أن إرادة الله ترفض صراحة حكومات الملك كما اوضح المؤلف، ثم ذكر فكرة الخلافة الوراثية وانها تعد سلب لحق الأجيال القادمة في اختيار حاكمهم، ثم استطرد "القول بأن الخلافة الوراثية تحفظ الأمم من الحروب الأهلية كذبة وأكثر الاكاذيب وقاحة على الإطلاق، فقد انكر تاريخ إنجلترا هذا الزعم، خلال عهد ٣٠ ملك قامت ثمانية حروب أهلية فضلاً عن تسعة عشر حركة تمرد"

في الفصل الثالث والرابع شرح الحالة الامريكية وإمكانية وجود تجارتها الخاصة بعد الاستقلال ورد على الحجج والمخاوف من الثورة والأنفصال عن بريطانيا

*في الفصل الثاني استشهد ببعض القصص التاريخية من كتاب النصارى المقدس
* رابط تحميل الكتاب بترجمة محمد الجندي ومراجعة حسام محمود
http://www.hindawi.org/kalimat/books/...(less)

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Feb 14, 2011 Daniel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-classics

Something everyone should read, study and learn to understand. This pamphlet made a new world. We need such men to stand and inspire us to do the same once again.

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Mar 11, 2009 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Penguin Classics - Paine, Thomas, Common Sense, Editor's Introduction (Isaac Kramnick)
Note: Editor's introduction includes quotes from other works; quotations and thoughts in this review may come from various works by Thomas Paine.

It seems that Thomas Paine would have us forget our traditions. If the man were here today writing in the radical and wildly popular style that fomented the American Revolution, many of us who today revere the Founding Fathers and hold the Revolution an honorable and...more Penguin Classics - Paine, Thomas, Common Sense, Editor's Introduction (Isaac Kramnick)
Note: Editor's introduction includes quotes from other works; quotations and thoughts in this review may come from various works by Thomas Paine.

It seems that Thomas Paine would have us forget our traditions. If the man were here today writing in the radical and wildly popular style that fomented the American Revolution, many of us who today revere the Founding Fathers and hold the Revolution an honorable and divinely ordered fight would be cringing at best.

He wrote, "The vanity and presumption of governing beyond the grave is the most ridiculous and insolent of all tyrannies. Man has no property in man; neither has any generation a property in the generations which are to follow" (33). To those of us who hold the sacrifices, sufferings, and commitment of our ancestors in high esteem, this statement sounds like sacrilege.

Indeed government exists for the people and to serve their interests alone. Traditions may hold things together like glue, but throwing them away for something better does not dishonor past generations. Galileo became exasperated with the scientists of his day who could not let go of the teachings of Aristotle. Had Aristotle himself been there in the 16th Century having seen what they had seen, Galileo insisted, he would have believed and taught that the earth revolved around the sun!

While Paine called for replacing the principle of privilege and heredity with the new ideals of talent and merit, there are some today who would trade the ideals of talent and merit for tolerance, diversity, and enforced "equality" (Winston Churchill rightly called it "the sharing of misery by everyone."). They wince at the idea of singling out individuals who perform exceptionally well, and they balk at any hint of a "right" way to do anything.

One of the least reasonable arguments against this "new" thinking is that it diverts from the path that has been followed for generations--a time-honored tradition. There are vastly corrupt time-honored traditions out there that might use the same argument.

However, time-tested traditions that have promoted the good of the people and continue to do so should not be discarded lightly. There needs to be a powerful reason to throw away something that many people value.

Paine might cringe at the socialist governments that trample the rights of the individual while trying to protect the weak, but he would not likely argue that they are trampling traditions.

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Feb 26, 2009 Luis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Common Sense is a strongly worded call for independence of the American Colonies. Paine demonstrates through logical reasoning and factual evidence that America can and must govern itself. The King of England, he maintains is nothing less than a tyrant interested only in the resources and riches of the land. Paine demands equality but asserts that it can never come from England and, therefore, disassociation and independence are the only alternatives. He criticizes the tradition of the monarchy...more

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Dec 28, 2008 M.C. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008-2009

Known to some as a precursor to the Declaration of Independence, Common Sense by Thomas Paine may actually serve as evidence of the blinding effects of fervent patriotism.

Paine masterly grasped the attention of the reader by questioning about the origin of government to stir the desire to question about the evolution of government over time--how government has, over the course of centuries, became what it is. The choice to begin the text with regards to the origin and progress from hence is als...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Garth rated it 4 of 5 stars

There were at least two reasons why Paine's brief pamphlet is believed to be "the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era". First, while the average colonist was more educated than their European counterpart, European and colonial elites agreed that common people had no place in government or political debates. By aiming for a popular audience, and writing in a straightforward and simple way, Paine made political ideas tangible for a common audience. This brought ave...more There were at least two reasons why Paine's brief pamphlet is believed to be "the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era". First, while the average colonist was more educated than their European counterpart, European and colonial elites agreed that common people had no place in government or political debates. By aiming for a popular audience, and writing in a straightforward and simple way, Paine made political ideas tangible for a common audience. This brought average colonists into political debate, creating a whole new political language. Illiterate colonists could hear Common Sense read at public gatherings, thus bringing even the illiterate into this new political world. Paine's new style of political writing avoided using complex Latin phrases, instead opting for a more direct, concise style that helped make the information accessible to all. Thus, Paine's "incendiary" words were heard even by those common folk who had never learned to read. The second reason involves the way the vast majority of people felt about the idea of independence from British rule. Except for a few radical thinkers, the people of the colonies were "on the fence" about independence. Individuals were in conflict with themselves. There were those who were leaning toward reconciliation with the king. George Trevelyan in his History of the American Revolution had this to say about Paine's pamphlet:

It would be difficult to name any human composition which has had an effect at once so instant, so extended and so lasting [...] It was pirated, parodied and imitated, and translated into the language of every country where the new republic had well-wishers. It worked nothing short of miracles and turned Tories into Whigs.

There were those in high places who, while in agreement with Paine's sentiments, voiced criticism of his method. John Adams, who would succeed George Washington to become the new nation's second president, in his Thoughts on Government wrote that Paine's ideal sketched in Common Sense was "so democratical, without any restraint or even an attempt at any equilibrium or counter poise, that it must produce confusion and every evil work". In spite of the formidable influence of Adams, most people praised Paine's brief work. The editors of The Thomas Paine Reader, Michael Foot and Isaac Kramnick, in their introduction to Common Sense wrote:

Published anonymously, Common Sense appeared on Philadelphia streets in January 1776. It was an instant success, and copies of the pamphlet were soon available in all the thirteen colonies. Paine's was an unequivocal call for independence, and many Americans wavering between reconciliation with and independence from Britain were won over to separation by Paine's powerful polemic against monarchy, in general, and the British, in particular.

The impact of Paine's thin little pamphlet upon the general call for independence, upon the other Founding Fathers and their construction of the Declaration of Independence, and upon the common folk, many of whom would soon join General Washington to fight the British military, was quickly spread and deeply felt. The moving words of Common Sense knocked colonists down off the fence and into the fight for independence.(less)

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Sep 01, 2012 Dave rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: politics, non-fiction, sociology

Originally published anonymously on January 10th of 1776, Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” remains one of the important documents from the Founding Fathers. “Common Sense” was an appeal to the masses, discussing the arguments in a straight-forward and clear style. This accessible style resulted in “Common Sense” being the best-selling American Book. Paine had given his work a title of “Plain Truth”, which oddly enough became the title of a work by James Chalmers of Maryland in response to Paine’s “...more Originally published anonymously on January 10th of 1776, Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” remains one of the important documents from the Founding Fathers. “Common Sense” was an appeal to the masses, discussing the arguments in a straight-forward and clear style. This accessible style resulted in “Common Sense” being the best-selling American Book. Paine had given his work a title of “Plain Truth”, which oddly enough became the title of a work by James Chalmers of Maryland in response to Paine’s “Common Sense”.

“Common Sense” contains four sections: the first discusses the design of government, and contains Paine’s view of the English Constitution; the second covers monarchies and hereditary succession; the third are thoughts on the current state of American affairs; and the fourth on the present ability of America and other reflections. “Common Sense” did not contain new arguments or information, but it presented the arguments for independence in a way which engaged the populace.

Paine’s work did not get the support of all those who wanted independence. Most notably John Adams was concerned about Paine’s ideal being too “democratical”, and indicated that it would cause confusion and harm. However, Adams was definitely in the minority, and while one can argue about how big of a role “Common Sense” played in creating support for revolution, I don’t think anyone would deny that it had a significant impact.

This free Kindle publication of Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” was taken from “The Writings of Thomas Paine Collected and Edited By Moncure Daniel Conway, Volume I, 1774-1779. I would have preferred if they included the entire volume of Paine’s writings, but when getting something for free, it is difficult to be too disappointed and I believe the full volume is now available. Compared to other free Kindle publications this one is well formatted, certainly as good as any of the others which I have procured and read thus far.
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Aug 23, 2012 Lisa N rated it 5 of 5 stars

Read in its historical context, this was a brilliant treatise. The principles it is based upon are timeless.

“The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind.”

“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.”

First, Paine lays out why governments are necessary--

“Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness.”

“For were the impulses of conscience clear,...more Read in its historical context, this was a brilliant treatise. The principles it is based upon are timeless.

“The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind.”

“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.”

First, Paine lays out why governments are necessary--

“Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness.”

“For were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform, and irresistibly obeyed, man would need no other lawgiver; but that not being the case, he finds it necessary to surrender up a part of his property to furnish means for the protection of the rest…Security being the true design and end of government….whatever FORM thereof appears most likely to ensure it to us, with the least expense and greatest benefit, is preferable to all others.”

Next, he expounds on the evils of monarchy, from both a Biblical and historical perspective.

“Male and female are the distinctions of nature, good and bad the distinctions of heaven; but how a race of men came into the world so exalted above the rest, and distinguished like some new species, is worth inquiring into, and whether they are the means of happiness or of misery to mankind.”

“It is the pride of kings which throw mankind into confusion….It was the most prosperous invention the Devil ever set on foot for the promotion of idolatry.”

“Most wise men, in their private sentiments, have ever treated hereditary right (monarchy) with contempt, yet it is one of those evils, which when once established is not easily removed; many submit from fear, others from superstition, and the more powerful part shares with the king the plunder of the rest.”

“Of more worth is one honest man to society and in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians that ever lived.”

This section was to me at times almost comical, perversely so—“One of the strongest natural proofs of the folly of hereditary right in kings, is, that nature disapproves it, otherwise she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule by giving mankind as ASS FOR A LION.”

And, Paine’s analogy between the Fall and Sovereignty, the crux of which is—“As our innocence was lost in the first, and our authority in the last…it unanswerably follows that original sin and hereditary succession are parallels…Inglorious connection! Yet the most subtle sophist cannot produce a juster simile.”

The next two sections contain Paine’s thoughts on the state of affairs in America and some miscellaneous reflections--

“A government which cannot preserve the peace, is no government at all.”

Proposes a Continental Charter for “securing freedom and property to all men, and above all things, the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience.”

“Those men would deserve the gratitude of ages, who should discover a mode of government that contained the greatest sum of individual happiness, with the least national expense.”

“But where, says some, is the King of America? I’ll tell you. Friend, he reigns above…”

“In America THE LAW IS KING.”

“Youth is the seed time of good habits, as well in nations as in individuals.”

“I fully and conscientiously believe, that it is the will of the Almighty, that there should be diversity of religious opinions among us. It affords a larger field for our Christian kindness. Were we all of one way of thinking, our religious dispositions would want matter for probation; and on this liberal principle, I look on the various denominations among us, to be like children of the same family, differing only, in what is called, their Christian names.”

“Call not coldness of soul, religion; nor put the BIGOT in the place of the CHRISTIAN.”

“Nothing can settle our affairs so expeditiously as an open and determined declaration for independence.”

“The birthday of a new world is at hand, and a race of men, perhaps as numerous as all Europe contains, are to receive their portion of freedom from the event of a few months.”(less)

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Jul 22, 2012 Texbritreader rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: early-american, essays, history

This book should be required reading for every American before they are allowed to graduate from high school, it is that important and relevant. The name says it all; Common Sense, is just what the title states, a remarkably lucid, logical, and plainly written political tract that would help fuel the American Revolution.

In brief and clearly reasoned sections, Paine addresses the origins of government, the flaws of hereditary rulers, the state of the colonies under British rule and his belief in...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Steven rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: home-inventory

As it's often said, common sense is never common; likewise, Paine's treatise on the subject never goes out-of-date, as there is always someone looking to be king of the mountain and always powerful people who wish to pass on their advantages to their own kith and kin. "The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity," said Yeats in "The Second Coming": a formative insight behind Paine's own reflections on, and objections to, absolute power of any kind. The simplest...more

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May 16, 2012 Jay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

The best common sense is utilized in retrospect by primary historical sources which, when written by first hand observations, are beyond the realm of value for deduction, analysis and critical thinking. Thomas Paine, a curious case in temporary American patriotism since he would eventually return to England, was strong in his written convictions supporting the colonies and their break from England to become an independent government. In his 1776 Common Sense, Paine begins by breaking down his vi...more The best common sense is utilized in retrospect by primary historical sources which, when written by first hand observations, are beyond the realm of value for deduction, analysis and critical thinking. Thomas Paine, a curious case in temporary American patriotism since he would eventually return to England, was strong in his written convictions supporting the colonies and their break from England to become an independent government. In his 1776 Common Sense, Paine begins by breaking down his views on the evolution of old world kings and monarchies before moving into his analysis of the tarnished relationship between England and the American colonies, which leads to his culminating point of urging permanent separation from England and European strife[1]. Paine’s written words are powerful, although prone to questioning due to his unknown individual motives, but are clearly a treasure of historical content which can be cross referenced and analyzed as an individual work or with a collective compilation of work from the American revolutionary era.
Paine’s Views on Kings and Monarchy
Paine, obviously not a proponent of large government, had distinct insights of the various ways kings, prior to his time, came to power. In retrospect, it is easy to see how Christian indoctrination and a Christian belief system molded his ideology on this subject. While Paine’s observation on the distinctions of rich and poor being the basis, mainly for the wealthy, mandating the requirement for kings and government is based substantially on historical European events, a large portion of his history concerning the emergence of kings is based on Old Testament scripture and shows his religious zealousness. As modern students of history consistently scramble to cite accurate sources in proper format, Paine plainly states that kingship is a sin and that the Jews had damned themselves by copying gentile heathens in establishing a king over them, and he based this assumption off a man-written book with no proven authorship. Outside of religious assumptions, Paine’s view of kings and monarchies, as we study in retrospect historic sources that were not available to Paine, seem very accurate. Paine points out that kings assumed power by lot, election or usurpation and skillfully brings forth the concern of vulnerability for hereditary rule to corruption. The observation of underage minors and feeble elderly being physically and mentally unable to rule in an hereditary line, thus opening the possibility of unseen corrupt influences at work, is a truly common sense.
Paine’s Criticism of English Government
All Americans understand that their modern American government was based off the government of England from which their nation sprang. Paine makes some very important observations on government, even though aimed at England in the year 1776, that are easily related to our modern government in the United States. The first observation of note hinted at special interest groups and elected members of government grouping together to promote their own interests. The most important sentence on this topic that Paine made was that “the ELECTED might never form to themselves an interest separate from the ELECTORS”[2]. Whether Paine foresaw the future direction of representative democracy or not, these words can be clearly seen today within the United States Congress in the form of special interest groups, lobbyists and a two party political system. In connection to modern lobbyist efforts and the influence on congressional lawmakers, Paine’s second observation of importance was aimed toward the checks and balances in the government of England being “so exceedingly complex, that the nation may suffer for years together without being able to discover in which part the fault lies”. This statement is quite true today in the United States with a presidential administration, one hundred Senators, and four hundred and thirty five representatives who are as vulnerable to the lobbyist influence as ever the infant or feeble king was vulnerable to corruption. Concerns of a run away government with no direct steering continue to be evident in the United States under a current economic deficit of fourteen trillion dollars, irrational amounts of foreign aid being sent out every year and military occupations on two fronts.
Paine on a Possible Reconciliation with England
Advocating a complete split with England and arguing against any possible reconciliation was where Paine was sharpest in his writing. Paine easily countered advocates of reconciliation with England by pointing out that England only protected the colonies as far as trade interests required them and that America, at that time in history, had no European enemies outside of their parent nation’s enemies. As students of history, we are already familiar with how events unfolded and the eventual reconciliation as allies between the United States and Britain. Paine hit several argument points that can be viewed in retrospect as being accurate in recent history and certainly are still evident in modern international affairs. Paine stated that, “Much hath been said of the united strength of Britain and the colonies, that in conjunction they might bid defiance to the world”[3]. No sentence in history now seems more prophetic in retrospect. Paine’s theory on America being held back economically, especially concerning exports, by being attached to England and therefore remaining enemies with England’s enemies also ended up being quite true. Once the United States became an independent nation, they managed to neutrally provide exports to both sides of every European war well into the First World War.
Creation of a Navy and the Beginning of Debt
One painful point of historic value that Paine brings up during his discussion on creating a Navy is the fact that at the beginning of the United States, there was no debt. Paine writes, “Britain is oppressed with a debt of upwards of one hundred and forty millions sterling, for which she pays upwards of four millions interest. And as a compensation for her debt, she has a large navy. America is without a debt, and without a navy”[4]. In less than two hundred and fifty years, the United States has amassed a fourteen trillion dollar debt and much of that debt has come from association with international affairs. From a contemporary point of view, this history shows quite a disturbing evolution of economic matters over two hundred years.
Summary
In closing, Thomas Paine had some legitimate ideologies and rationale toward the evolution of governments, toward political and economic relations between England and America in the eighteenth century, and toward the creation of a new American government. Many of his arguments and concerns have become proven over two centuries. Paine’s religious zeal can be argued to have influenced his ideologies to some extent, but his first hand observations and analysis contained in Common Sense are an excellent primary historical source to use when researching the early era of American history. Paine’s patriotism and cries of English tyranny seem almost hypocritical since he never directly mentions the British implemented system of slavery in the colonies, which would continue for a century under the American flag, and he would eventually return to England for the remainder of his days. Most historians are able to glimpse many potent areas of information in the primary historical source Common Sense, but Paine’s true motives, whether political or economic, are not among them and must be noted as such by any historian.
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Apr 17, 2012 Ed Wagemann added it

How The Superbowl Encourages Socialism:
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Feb 27, 2012 Rick rated it 3 of 5 stars

As a historical document it is fascinating, and its influence at the time should not be underestimated, But reading it now is sorta weird and scary. First off, though the first few pages are this great philosophical piece on why we need government, but only as little government as possible, later on Paine is advocating building giant navies and selling off large tracts of land, with the money going to the federal government. Plus there's this whole biblical explanation for why kings are bad, whi...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Robert rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, politics, government, united-states, kindle

Wow! This is passionate writing. We seldom read such passion these days that doesn't border on the fringe.

And that's the thing. I wonder if I would have been supportive of independence had I lived during the time of the American Revolution. It is something we take for granted now, but would we have recognized that it was time? That was Paine's point. It is now or never. He answered those who preached patience.

Paine provided the reasons for breaking away from England. They were numerous. Interest...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: goodwill-finds

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I had supposed from the title, that Mr. Paine would endeavor to convince all of his readers that his opinion was right by an appeal to natural law, or 'common' sense. In reality, he defended his conclusions quite often from Scripture (as may be seen below), and did not rely on man's reasoning or conclusions alone to support his case. An excellent, short read.

"Time makes more converts than reason."

"When a man seriously reflects on the idolatrous homage w...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Merry Packard Gravett added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, genre-classics, genre-history

Wow! I had no idea that Common Sense was so interesting! There were some points of logic that I didn't quite agree with, but for the most part I liked what Paine said. What I didn't like was that he tries to present his ideas as purely common sense and that every person who can reason will agree with him; however, I found that he included quite a bit of rhetoric that was purely emotional. I think he was much more biased than he gave himself credit for.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the...more Wow! I had no idea that Common Sense was so interesting! There were some points of logic that I didn't quite agree with, but for the most part I liked what Paine said. What I didn't like was that he tries to present his ideas as purely common sense and that every person who can reason will agree with him; however, I found that he included quite a bit of rhetoric that was purely emotional. I think he was much more biased than he gave himself credit for.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the pamphlet:

p. 18 “’Tis not the affair of a day, a year, or an age; posterity are virtually involved in the contest, and will be more or less affected, even to the end of time, by the proceedings now.” I like that Paine says that they were deciding not just for themselves but for their posterity.

p. 22 “As parents, we can have no joy, knowing that this government is not sufficiently lasting to ensure any thing which we may bequeath to posterity: And by a plain method of argument, as we are running the next generation into debt, we ought to do the work of it, otherwise we use them meanly and pitifully.”

p. 24 “The present wither is worth an age if rightly employed, but if lost or neglected, the whole continent will partake of the misfortune; and there is no punishment which that man will not deserve, be he who, or what, or where he will, that may be the means of sacrificing a season so precious and useful.”

p. 29 “If there is any true cause of fear respecting independence, it is because no plan is yet laid down.”

p. 31 “But where say some is the King of America? I’ll tell you Friend, he reigns above, and doeth not make havoc of mankind like the Royal Brute of Britain. Yet that we may not appear to be defective even in earthly honors, let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be brought forth placed on the divine law, the word of God; let a crown be placed threon, by which the world may know, that so far as we approve of monarchy, that in America THE LAW IS KING.”

p. 37 “We are not the little people now, which we were sixty years ago; at that time we might have trusted our property in the streets, or fields rather; and slept securely without locks or bolts to our doors or windows. The case now is altered, and our methods of defence, ought to improve with our increase of property.”

p. 40 “Youth is the seed time of good habits, as well in nations as in individuals. It might be difficult, if not impossible, to form the Continent into one government half a century hence.”

p. 41 “As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensible duty of all government, to protect all conscientious professors thereof, and I know of no other business which government hath to do therewith.”(less)

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Sep 26, 2011 Kevin Fuller rated it 5 of 5 stars

There once was a great country, whose Kings and Queens, decided by birth and not merit, were crowned by the Holy Church, which was wedded to the State. The people were told by this twin power what to believe and how to go about believing. A group of men were fortuitous and brave enough to break free, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson among them, who sought to create a new and more perfect union which would be symbolized by the unfinished pyramid, whose capstone replaced a...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Matthew added it · review of another edition

What's shocking about this essay is not that he actually *says* anything shocking. What's shocking is that his words were actually CONSIDERED shocking to begin with...when written as a precursor to the American Revolution.

For example, Paine points out that there is nothing magical, special or super-human about the British monarchy, or any other monarchy for that matter. In reality, he asserts, they were nothing more than descendants of thieves, rapists, and murderers who became powerful houses q...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Shawn rated it 3 of 5 stars

He made some very strong points. Some quotes that appealed to me:

"Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices."

"... government even in its best state is but a necessary evil in its worst state an intolerable one..."

"For were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform, and irresistibly obeyed, man would need no other lawgiver; but that not being the case,...more He made some very strong points. Some quotes that appealed to me:

"Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices."

"... government even in its best state is but a necessary evil in its worst state an intolerable one..."

"For were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform, and irresistibly obeyed, man would need no other lawgiver; but that not being the case, he finds it necessary to surrender up a part of his property to furnish means for the protection of the rest; and this he is induced to do by the same prudence which in every other case advises him out of two evils to choose the least. " Very interesting, because this is sort of the other side of my argument that people should protect themselves, but inherent in my argument is that one must use part of one's means to protect (defensive structures, insurance, etc.). However, his point makes this very explicit and sways me.

"But the provision is unequal to the task; the means either cannot or will not accomplish the end, and the whole affair is a felo de se; for as the greater weight will always carry up the less, and as all the wheels of a machine are put in motion by one, it only remains to know which power in the constitution has the most weight, for that will govern; and though the others, or a part of them, may clog, or, as the phrase is, check the rapidity of its motion, yet so long as they cannot stop it, their endeavors will be ineffectual; the first moving power will at last have its way, and what it wants in speed is supplied by time." I feel the same way about our judiciary. While the supreme court is helpful in slowing down the tide of liberal politics, it will eventually come to reflect the populous.

He also makes use of religion in his arguments, but perhaps that was just part of being in the time at which he was writing. For instance, he claims that god made all men equal. He also quotes biblical records for historical accuracy and then claims that there were no kings and thus no wars, which is atavistic at best. One of these arguments is that a king must have been evil because after they wanted one a rain storm started thundering.

"This is supposing the present race of kings in the world to have had an honorable origin; whereas it is more than probable, that could we take off the dark covering of antiquity, and trace them to their first rise, that we should find the first of them nothing better than the principal ruffian of some restless gang, whose savage manners of preeminence in subtlety obtained him the title of chief among plunderers; and who by increasing in power, and extending his depredations, overawed the quiet and defenseless to purchase their safety by frequent contributions." Seems very truthful.

"Small islands not capable of protecting themselves, are the proper objects for kingdoms to take under their care; but there is something very absurd, in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island." Humorous! (less)

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Mar 07, 2011 Mark Johansen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: politics, history

This is, of course, a classic pamphlet written at the start of the American Revolution to inspire Americans to rebel against Britain.

It has basically three parts: 1. A critique of monarchy. 2. Why reconciliation with Britain is impossible. 3. Why American can win.

I found section 1 the most interesting. I suppose monarchy isn't all that popular today -- at least other than ceremonial monarchy -- so criticizing it doesn't seem all that groundbreaking or courageous. But most people today who would...more This is, of course, a classic pamphlet written at the start of the American Revolution to inspire Americans to rebel against Britain.

It has basically three parts: 1. A critique of monarchy. 2. Why reconciliation with Britain is impossible. 3. Why American can win.

I found section 1 the most interesting. I suppose monarchy isn't all that popular today -- at least other than ceremonial monarchy -- so criticizing it doesn't seem all that groundbreaking or courageous. But most people today who would say that monarchy is bad might have a hard time refuting arguments given in its favor in the 18th century. For that matter, I saw a recent survey of people in the Middle East that found that a majority believe that the best form of government is a "strong leader" who holds office for life. Even if today they call him a "president", he's more like the traditional idea of a king. Anyway, Paine takes the justifications for monarchy -- or a "strong leader" if you prefer -- one by one and shoots them down.

The second section was, perhaps, necessary to say at the time, but in retrospect seems so obvious that it was pretty dull. The gist of his argument is, Now that there has been active shooting between the two sides, the marriage is over. There's no way the two sides could ever trust each other again. The king would never allow the Americans to again be in a position to rebel, and so if they once again submitted to his authority he would be actively working to keep them poor and week. Presumably any peace treaty would require Americans to lay down their arms, and once they did, they would be helpless against any further action by the king. Etc.

As I say, that all seems pretty obvious to me. Maybe it wasn't so obvious to people at the time. I suppose many hoped that with a little negotiation and compromise they could restore the peace and everything would be happy. Then wishful thinking turns into unrealistic planning.

Contrasted with the insight of the first two sections, the third seems, well, somewhere between unrealistic and funny. Paine goes on at length about how America could build a navy that would rival the British navy. Of course nothing of the sort ever happenned. It took the intervention of France to give us any hope at all of even beginning to challenge British naval power.

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Jan 06, 2010 Christina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction-political

I read this as a part of Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine - it was included in the back of the book.

After I finally got into the flow of the language, which was difficult for me to follow, I was surprised at how religious some of Thomas Paine's arguments were. My favorite part was near the beginning when he uses biblical examples to argue why people should not have kings.

Thomas Paine was very passionate about his beliefs, and he p...more

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Sep 11, 2009 Apzmarshl rated it 5 of 5 stars

In 1776 Thomas Paine published his pamphlet 'Common Sense'. It was an informative and well written argument for Independence from Great Britain.

This was a short read. His opening paragraph was so true it was poetic. I am going to include some quotes.

"Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the form...more

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Aug 12, 2009 Catharine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

This pamphlet was included in the back of Glenn Beck's book "Common Sense, the Case against an Out of Control Government, inspired by Thomas Paine."
It was interesting to read Paine's comments in context of the setting of over 200 years ago, and to contemplate the way things are today.
I loved the 2nd section of this pamphlet "On Monarchy and Hereditary Succession. Paine uses the bible to prove that God is against having kings as a form of government, and especially kings that inherit the throne a...more

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Sep 30, 2010 Michael rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: politicians and journalists

Recommended to Michael by: my own ignorance

Yes, this is a piece of history and should be read by everyone interested in politics. It asks the question; "should we seek Reconciliation with England or Independence from her." Thomas Paine said it was only common sense to break with the King. It was common sense to establish a representative government and not serve a King. It was common sense to limit the terms politicians can serve, because it is best not to allow a person to get established as a career politician, as he would then serve h...more

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Feb 16, 2010 Cyril rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A wonderful book that illuminates American history.
These are some of my favorite quotes:

"Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is a necessary evil."

"One of the strongest natural proofs of the folly of hereditary right in kings, is, that nature disapproves it, otherwise she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule by giving mankind an ass for a lion."

"Of more worth is one honest man to society, and in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians that...more

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Sep 02, 2009 Darren rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio, non-fiction

I read this so that I'd have it fresh in my mind before reading Glenn Beck's book with a similar title.

Paine carefully lays out the problems with a monarchy, argues in favor of separation from England, suggests an alternative government structure, and even offers up a strategy for building an maintaining a navy superior to that of England.

Paine makes so many good points that it's hard to believe he would use the few that were along the lines of: "if God wanted us to be ruled by England, he woul...more

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Apr 18, 2011 Dennis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I know, I know, how do you give anything less than five stars to common sense? This exposition of political philosophy during the Age of Reason is both impassioned and easy to follow. For me it just petered out during its waning moments of the author decrying the mingling of state and religion, which felt more like a rant than core to the author's main arguments.

I particularly enjoyed Paine's observations on monarchy and the inherently disproportionate power afforded the British king and the Hou...more

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Sep 23, 2010 Jake rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, politics, religion

I have to confess I was nervous about reading Common Sense. I am a fan of Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason . Frankly I was worried that Paine might discredit my current political beliefs. Instead, I found that Paine’s Common Sense is more complex than right and wrong or left and right.

In 1776, Thomas Paine said, “a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right…” Paine said this to argue against hereditary rule by kings, especially kings claiming divi...more I have to confess I was nervous about reading Common Sense. I am a fan of Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason . Frankly I was worried that Paine might discredit my current political beliefs. Instead, I found that Paine’s Common Sense is more complex than right and wrong or left and right.

In 1776, Thomas Paine said, “a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right…” Paine said this to argue against hereditary rule by kings, especially kings claiming divine approval. Government, as Paine describes it, is “a necessary evil”. Devotees of the Tea Party movement will likely feel vindication in that assertion from a leading voice of the American Revolution. So it is a good thing Thomas Paine’s argument proves more nuanced.

Granted, I found some of Paine’s arguments dismaying. In particular, he fosters Anglo-Saxon/Christian entitlement in his effort to popularize revolutionary fervor. Among other things, he says, “The reformation was preceded by the discovery of America, as if the Almighty graciously meant to open a sanctuary…” Those who believe--in outright error--that we were founded as a Christian nation may take that statement for more than it is worth.

Thomas Paine also cites Christianity as an enabler of tyrannical government and civil war in Europe. "The Heathens paid divine honors to their deceased kings, and the christian world hath improved on the plan by doing the same to their living ones." Paine is also not a strict fiscal conservative. He speaks of national debt as acceptable and even useful. “The debt we may contract doth not deserve our regard if the work be but accomplished. No nation ought to be without a debt.”

Paine, like other Founding Fathers, proves more nuanced and fascinating than many people today give him credit for. Being non-denominational myself, I was turned off by how much he utilized Biblical/Christian references. It’s not that Paine should have abstained from appeals to Christian society. Doing so demonstrated political savvy. He gave Christian society—as opposed to the religion itself—due respect for the integral role it played in the richness of 18th Century culture. Still, I am worried contemporary readers may read such passages and mistakenly assume we were founded as a Christian nation. We weren’t. In any case, Paine’s approach is ultimately secular:

“Kings are not taken away by miracles, neither are changes in governments brought about by any other means than such as are common and human; and such as we are now using.”

Anyone who claims to love the principles and documents on which our nation was founded ought to read Thomas Paine. His arguments played a key role in prodding the colonies toward independence. Personally, he reminds me that Americans are at our best when we cultivate a self-reliant society while pragmatically utilizing government. I highly recommend Thomas Paine’s Common Sense.
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Nov 06, 2010 Sheila rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics

I downloaded an e-book copy of this to read because I am reading a biography of George Washington, and this book from the time of America's independance is mentioned.

Reading this, it is interesting to see what the thinking of the American colonies was during this time. And I have to admit, Thomas Paine did make some very valid points, such as this:

"Small islands not capable of protecting themselves, are the proper objects for kingdoms to take under their care; but there is something very absurd...more

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