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<title>Thomas Paine -- Common Sense -- Reading Revolutions</title>
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<td BGCOLOR="#C0C0C0"><blockquote>
        <blockquote><blockquote>
			<font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
 size="-1">Thomas Paine (1737-1809)&nbsp;<br>
			Born in England and worked as an excise officer and many other 
			occupations until 1774&nbsp;when he met Benjamin Franklin in London 
			and subsequently emigrated to the colonies.<br>
			<b>The Case of the Officers of Excise </b>(1772)<br>
			<b>Common Sense</b> (1776)<br>
			<b>Letter to Abb</b></font><font size="-1" face="Verdana"><b>é 
			Raynal</b> (1782)</font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
 size="-1"><br>
			<b>Rights of Man</b> (1791, 1792 published in two parts)<br>
			<b>The Age of Reason</b> (1794, 1795 published in two parts)<br>
			<b>Agrarian Justice</b> (1795)<br>
			<br>
			<b>Common Sense,</b>
1792</font></blockquote></blockquote>
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<td><blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>
	<blockquote>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Thomas 
		Paine wrote <i>Common Sense</i> in 1776.&nbsp; In his own words he said that he 
		held up publication until he could judge the reaction from the crown to 
		the Declaration of Independence.&nbsp; There being none, he went ahead 
		with publication.&nbsp; <i>Common Sense</i> appeared in many different editions 
		over the years.&nbsp; The present edition was published in 1792 in 
		London.&nbsp; It cost 6 pence.&nbsp; Note the reference to the &quot;American 
		War.&quot;&nbsp; </font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">In <i>
		Common Sense</i>, Paine addresses the problems of monarchy, the 
		advisability of separation, the nature of society, and makes modest 
		proposals for a new form of government.&nbsp; He also considers 
		practical considerations such as our relations with other countries in 
		Europe, whether our diplomacy and trade should be governed by the 
		self-interest of Britain, and the feasibility of winning a war of 
		independence.&nbsp; He considers the issues of population, resources, 
		and the navy and concludes that it is possible.&nbsp; Overall, he 
		applies rational argument, supporting his points not only with 
		philosophical but also with economic and political advantages.</font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">The 
		frontispiece of <i>Common Sense</i> also refers to <i>The Rights of Man</i> and to a <i>Letter 
		to the </i>Abb</font><font size="-1" face="Verdana">é</font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"><i> Raynal </i>both written by Thomas Paine.&nbsp; While <i>The 
		Rights of Man</i> is fairly well known, the <i>Letter to </i>Abb</font><font size="-1" face="Verdana">é
		</font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"><i>Raynal</i> 
		is not, yet Cr</font><font face="Verdana"
 size="-1">è</font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">vecoeur 
		dedicated his <i><a href="Crevecoeur_book.html">Letters from an American 
		Farmer</a></i> to Abbe Raynal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It is difficult 
		to get a sense of that time, we only read and know about a few of the 
		people who were writing to influence the new ideas concerning human 
		rights, the role and shape of government, and dealing with a rapidly 
		changing economy and world view.</font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Abb</font><font size="-1" face="Verdana">é</font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"> 
		Raynal had published an account of the colonization of American and 
		India in six volumes in 1770.&nbsp; His radical views of the rights of 
		the governed to withhold taxation and overthrow their rulers got him 
		thrown out of France.&nbsp; He is one of many writers at the time who 
		exchanged ideas and had an influence on the thoughts and actions that 
		led to the Revolutions in America and France.&nbsp;&nbsp; Raynal also 
		wrote a history of the American Revolution, while it was in progress.&nbsp; 
		He published it immediately following the war.&nbsp; Paine was 
		writing to correct Raynal's misconceptions and inaccuracies concerning 
		the American Revolution.&nbsp; He had certainly read some if not all of 
		Raynal's work.&nbsp; Paine's <i>Letter to Raynal</i> gives us a picture 
		of the different points of view in Europe and America concerning the 
		Revolution.&nbsp; </font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Raynal 
		is not a well-known name today, but neither would Thomas Paine be known 
		to school children had not Thomas A. Edison worked to recall him to the 
		limelight (see reference below).&nbsp; <i>Common Sense</i> might have 
		been relegated to the dusty shelves of academe had not Edison written 
		and talked about him and his philosophy a hundred years later.&nbsp; <br>
          &nbsp;</font></p>
		<p><b><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
		Quotations:</font></b></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Thomas 
		Paine:</font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">We have 
		it in our power to begin the world over again.&nbsp; (Thomas Paine, <i>
		Common Sense</i>, 1792)</font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Society 
		in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is 
		but a necessary evil in its worst state an intolerable one... (Thomas 
		Paine, <i>Common Sense</i>, 1792)</font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"><i>
		Mankind</i> being originally equals in the order of creation, the 
		equality could only be destroyed by some subsequent circumstance... 
		(Thomas Paine, <i>Common Sense</i>, 1792)</font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Common 
		sense will tell us, that the power which hath endeavored to subdue us, 
		is of all others the most improper to defend us. Conquest may be 
		effected under the pretence of friendship; and ourselves, after a long 
		and brave resistance, be at last cheated into slavery.&nbsp; (Thomas 
		Paine, <i>Common Sense</i>, 1792)</font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">These 
		are the times that try men&#8217;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.&nbsp; (Thomas Paine, <i>The Crisis</i>, 1794)</font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">The 
		stamp act, it is true, was repealed in two years after it was passed, 
		but it was<br>
		immediately followed by one of infinitely more mischievous magnitude; I 
		mean the<br>
		declaratory act, which asserted the right, as it was styled, of the 
		British parliament, &quot;to<br>
		bind America in all cases whatsoever.&quot;</font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">If then 
		the stamp act was an usurpation of the Americans' most precious and 
		sacred<br>
		rights, the declaratory act left them no rights at all; and contained 
		the full grown seeds<br>
		of the most despotic government ever exercised in the world. It placed 
		America not<br>
		only in the lowest, but in the basest state of vassalage; because it 
		demanded an<br>
		unconditional submission in every thing, or as the act expresses it, in 
		all cases<br>
		whatsoever: and what renders this act the more offensive, is, that it 
		appears to have<br>
		been passed as an act of mercy; truly then may it be said, that the 
		tender mercies of<br>
		the wicked are cruel.&nbsp;&nbsp; (Thomas Paine in his <i>Letter to Abbe 
		Raynal</i>, 1782)</font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Abb</font><font size="-1" face="Verdana">é</font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"> 
		Raynal:</font></p>
		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">All 
		France is, at this time, divided into two classes. The good men, the men 
		of moderation, are dispersed, mute, petrified with consternation; while 
		men of violent spirits rush into close contact, electrify each other, 
		and form those tremendous volcanoes which vomit so much flaming lava.&nbsp; 
		(Abbe Raynal in a letter to the National Assembly of France protesting 
		the continued terror and inquisition, the abuse of power, and anarchy; 
		May 31, 1791)</font></p>
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					<font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1" color="#FFFFFF">
					The etching below was included in the pamphlet.&nbsp; 
					Compare it with the engraving by William Sharp based on the&nbsp; 
					portrait by George Romney on the right which appeared in 
					Conway's biography of Paine.&nbsp;</font></td>
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					<font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1" color="#FFFFFF">
					The enlargements of the book are sufficient for easy reading 
					-- they will be a slow download on a modem.&nbsp; The 
					photographs of the pamphlet by Paine 
					may be used freely on non-commercial sites (no 
					advertisements) and for educational purposes.&nbsp; Please 
					link to this page for copyright.</font></td>
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		<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
 size="-1">
          <br>
		&nbsp;&nbsp; <br>
          </font></p>
	</blockquote>
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<td BGCOLOR="#C0C0C0"><blockquote>
        <blockquote><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
 size="-1"><b>Further
Resources:</b><br>
          <br>
The text of <i><a href="http://www.constitution.org/tp/comsense.htm">Common 
			Sense</a></i><span
 style="text-decoration: underline;">.</span>&nbsp; 1776 from Liberty Library</font><p>
			<font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">The 
			text of <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3755">Common 
			Sense</a></i> 1776 from Project Gutenberg, from book by Moncure 
			Daniel Conway</font></p>
			<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
			Listen to <i><a href="http://www.freeaudio.org/tpaine/">Common Sense</a></i> 
			1776 from FreeAudio.org</font></p>
			<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
			Selected writings of
			<a href="http://www.constitution.org/tp/paine.htm">Thomas Paine</a> 
			from Liberty Library</font></p>
			<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Text 
			of a biography of Thomas Paine by Moncure Daniel Conway,
			<a href="http://www.thomaspaine.org/bio/ConwayLife.html">Volume One</a>, 
			1892-- from Thomas Paine National Historical Association</font></p>
			<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Text 
			of a biography of Thomas Paine by Moncure Daniel Conway,
			<a href="http://www.thomaspaine.org/bio/ConwayLife_2.html">Volume 
			Two</a>, 1892 -- from Thomas Paine National Historical Association</font></p>
			<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
			Philip S. Foner.&nbsp; <i>
			<a href="http://www.thomaspaine.org/contents.html">The Complete 
			Writings of Thomas Paine</a></i>.&nbsp; New York:&nbsp; Citadel 
			Press, 1945 -- complete text with comments by Foner -- excellent 
			resource from Thomas Paine National Historical Association</font></p>
			<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"><i>
			<a href="http://www.thomaspaine.org/bio/edison.html">The Philosophy 
			of Thomas Paine</a></i> -- a short essay by Thomas Alva Edison<br>
          <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br>
          </span>The text of <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4666">
			A Letter Addressed to the Abbe Raynal, on the Affairs of North 
			America, in Which the Mistakes in the Abbe's Account of the 
			Revolution of America Are Corrected and Cleared Up</a> </i>-- 1782 from Project 
			Gutenberg<br>
          <br>
			The text of&nbsp; <i>
			<a href="http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=lhbtn&fileName=00543//lhbtn00543.db&recNum=0&itemLink=r?ammem/lhbtnbib:@field(NUMBER+@od1(lhbtn+00543))&linkText=0">
			Letter</a></i><i><a href="http://ideas.repec.org/h/hay/hetcha/paine1908-99.html"> 
			to the Abbe Raynal</a></i>
-- downloadable from Ideas at University of Connecticut Economics </font></p>
			<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Abbé 
			Raynal, <i><a href="http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/278/">
			Philosophical and Political History of the Settlements and Trade of 
			the Europeans in the East and West Indies</a></i> (1770)</font></p>
			<p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"><br><br><br><br><br><br>&nbsp;(c) Marilyn Shea, 2005, 2006
			</font></p>
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