Analyzing Common Sense by Thomas Paine

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Thomas Paine’s discourse, Common Sense, defined several substantial obstructions Great Britain inculcated in their rule, thus gave America motive for independence. All governments, from Paine’s judgment were an encumbrance to society. Nations with absolute monarchies or hereditary successions suffered for they were unnatural and paradoxical. As well as dependence on these empires caused great infraction for any civilization. However, a country without administration endured the same hardships. Thomas Paine further postulated for a continental government in the liberty of America, in that it was a natural republic. The considerable tribulations depicted by Paine were both, the American colonies reliance on Great Britain and the English Constitution, the Magna Charta, and the increased dissatisfactions in Great Britain gave the inhabitants of the American continent motive for independence. (P-96)

The boasted Magna Charta of England, by its very nature, was too complex. Paine lectured that a structure so intricate would only allocate an entire nation to suffer without the country being able to find error in itself. The British hailed their parliamentary system as being the most wonderful, but Paine declared that it was nothing more than the remains of a tyranny. In Paine’s scrutiny Great Britain’s government was made worse by the monarchical king and aristocratical peers whom are designated by heredity. Bequeathed succession only opened the door to foolish, wicked, and improper headship. The British enunciated the House of Commons, in the English Constitution, created a unity to the ordained ruling society and the general population. Conversely, Thomas Paine contended that habitual validation of each component of British foundat...

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...ined. America was damaged by the fact that the colonies did not make laws on their own accord; only legislation from the king’s decree was administered. Also, Great Britain was only a temporary guardian over the colonies and this brought a disconcerting and bleak future to America. Paine’s argument was that nothing could keep the American colonies safe from England’s unnatural government except a declaration of independence; and a continental form of government was the only avenue that kept peace. So, as Common Sense educated, America was formed on more natural principles than that of England; the colonies escaped two repulsive plights, a monarchial regime and reliance upon the deviant system. (P-94, 95)

Works Cited

Paine, Thomas, and Thomas P. Slaughter. "Common Sense." In Common Sense and Related Writings. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2001. pp.74-119.

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