Happy Birthday Mr. Thomas Paine!
The Father of the American Revolution
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| Thomas Paine (born Pain) January 29, 1737 Thetford, Norfolk, England to Joseph Pain, Quaker staymaker. and Frances Cocke Pain, daughter of an attorney. |
"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: for when we suffer, or
are exposed to the same miseries BY A GOVERNMENT, which we might expect in a
country WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we
furnish the means by which we suffer. Government, like dress, is the badge of
lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built upon the ruins of the bowers of
paradise. For were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform and irresistibly
obeyed, man would need no other lawgiver..."
Thomas Paine Common Sense 1776, January and February
Thank You for Common Sense, The Crisis, The Rights of Man, The Age of Reason
Thank You for Your Writings To Ignite the American Revolution.
We the People Need To Hold Onto These Ideals
For Ourselves, For the World, and For All the World's Children.
Paine
" "tossed a spark that turned a disorganized rebellion into the overthrow of
an entire social and political system." It is probably that every literate colonist read Common Sense or knew about its contents. It was read aloud in taverns, at town meetings, and village greens."
Thomas Paine: in rabble we trust. By Walter F. Wouk (about the author) Permalink (Page 1 of 1 pages) OpEdNews Op Eds
References
Thomas Paine. Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Paine
Thomas Paine.
http://www.ushistory.org/paine/
Thomas Paine. copyright © 2000 Steven Kreis
Last Revised -- July 31, 2012
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/paine.html
Thomas Paine. With Links to his works.
http://www.punkerslut.com/articles/thomaspaine.html
Thomas Paine.
http://www.ushistory.org/paine/
Thomas Paine. copyright © 2000 Steven Kreis
Last Revised -- July 31, 2012
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/paine.html
Thomas Paine. With Links to his works.
http://www.punkerslut.com/articles/thomaspaine.html
Selections:
"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. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates
distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.
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: for when we
suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries BY A GOVERNMENT, which we might
expect in a country WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, our calamity is heightened by reflecting
that we furnish the means by which we suffer. Government, like dress, is the
badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built upon the ruins of the
bowers of paradise. 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. Wherefore, security being the true design and end of government, it
unanswerably follows that whatever form thereof appears most likely to ensure it
to us, with the least expense and greatest benefit, is preferable to all
others.
If the colony continue encreasing, it will become necessary to augment the
number of representatives, and that the interest of every part of the colony may
be attended to, it will be found best to divide the whole into convenient parts,
each part sending its proper number: and that the ELECTED might never form to
themselves an interest separate from the ELECTORS, prudence will point out the
propriety of having elections often: because as the ELECTED might by that means
return and mix again with the general body of the ELECTORS in a few months,
their fidelity to the public will be secured by the prudent reflection of not
making a rod for themselves. And as this frequent interchange will establish a
common interest with every part of the community, they will mutually and
naturally support each other, and on this, (not on the unmeaning name of king,)
depends the STRENGTH OF GOVERNMENT, AND THE HAPPINESS OF THE GOVERNED.
