Response To Thomas Paine

Often referred to as one of the unofficial Founders of America, Thomas Paine is best known for his widely read work, Common Sense, which aimed to stimulate a desire for freedom against Britain. His work sparked a desire for independence in some and became a subject of many objections to others. Two of the more important objections to Paine are regarding his idea of what government should be and his attempt to expose the deceits of revealed religion. Through the use of numerous responses to Common Sense and Age of Reason, it is evident that Paine’s simple but radical questioning of authority threatened the traditional idea of power.
While Paine convinced many, he still caused controversy amongst certain groups, particularly loyalists who were

petrified and swiftly published counterarguments against independence. The rejection of independence in Deceiver Unmasked, written by Charles Inglis, exemplifies how some were attached to the crown and afraid to challenge authority due to economic and traditional reasons. For example, Inglis claimed. Britain’s willingness to take any measure to ensure its rule over America led Loyalists, including Inglis, to believe that restoring friendly relations with Britain was imperative. Inglis argued that by remaining under British rule, there would be no more lives lost over the. Furthermore, some believed that British rule was economically advantageous because under British protection. Overall, the fear of chaos breaking out in America along with the need for financial stability and security caused many to favor British control in America.
Even though some believed that the monarchy was beneficial, Paine argued.

by the monarch. He was aware of the luxurious lifestyle of the monarch in Britain and the inferior lifestyles of Americans. According to Paine, government exists for the purpose of security; people give up the least and benefit the most. If government is created to protect people, and the monarch is oppressing the people, then for Paine, the social contract has been breached and the government no longer serves its purpose. As stated by Paine, the monarch seized to be advantageous for America; those that disagreed simply did so due to their. Furthermore, Paine would argue that reconciliation with Britain would not yield positive long-term results. By using history and the corrupt nature of the British government, Paine is able to demonstrate that problems would continue to repeat themselves and independence would be

inevitable.
Some colonists agreed with Paine and acknowledged that independence was inevitable; however, they disagreed with his approach. For example, John Adams opposed Paine’s idea of democracy because it was. Adams’s argument suggests that Paine’s idea of government is preposterous and ineffective. Popular opinion, as Adams believed, was unpredictable and paradoxical. Paine’s radical proposition of allowing the common people to determine the government and politics rather than limit it to the elite troubled Adams. The notion of liberty and rights was dependent on whether or not a man owned land. Adams is not only irked, but also alarmed by Paine’s idea of government. He cannot seem to comprehend why an ordinary, landless man could have the power to vote. Adams’s discontent with Paine’s pamphlet illustrates how society prefers to avoid drastic change.
However, Paine would assert that in order for a society to blossom, men must be able to voice their opinions.

In his argument against a monarchy, Paine discusses how absurd it is that a king is required to know everything that is going on in the world, yet is shut away from it. Paine argued. If the common people are kept away from governmental positions and are not given the right to vote, then how could America be a true democracy? For Paine Adam’s view of freedom would just replace the monarchy’s king with the democracy’s elite. He would argue that while Adams wanted freedom from Britain, he did not want liberty for

all.
Paine’s most radical ideas arguably arise in his work Age of Reason. Elias Boudinot, former President of Congress and author of Age of Revelation, made it clear that Paine did not represent the views of the masses. He claimed Paine’s work was full of. Needless to say, Paine also angered those directly affiliated with religion. Reverend Richard Watson wrote a series of letters to Paine, in which he claimed. One can infer that the Church would have been better off if Paine did not write Age of Reason because then the Church’s authority would not be challenged. The Church was petrified of Paine’s influence, which could potentially undermine the power of the Church. Traditionally, the Church possessed much power and control over the masses. If one listened to Paine’s philosophy, then there would become no need for the Church, which disturbed the traditional idea of the Church as a dominant force in controlling common people.
While the Church tried to depict him as blasphemous and an atheist, Paine did in fact have a point. Contrary to common belief, Paine was not an atheist; instead, he admired divine creation. Paine, influenced by lectures given by James Ferguson and Benjamin Martin, was merely using reason to prove God’s existence. Paine claimed that God would not use language to disclose information relating to existence or the universe and that the inconsistencies in the Bible weaken its claim to divinity. According to Paine, the word and proof of God is evident in creation. Based on this notion, it is possible for Paine to use Averroes’s Design Argument for defense. Averroes claims the complexity of the universe indicates a meticulous designer (God) who created the universe and continues to maintain it since day one. According to Averroes – and most likely to Paine – it is only through human experience that one can infer God’s existence. As a result, Paine is no atheist. Instead, similar to Averroes and numerous philosophers prior, Paine’s intellectual and social awareness led to a different approach to religion. Ultimately, Paine would argue that by removing oneself from the Church and isolating oneself in the comfort of nature, one could truly experience religion.
Paine’s ideas continue to challenge and influence the modern world. The fear of Paine being right led to the shunning of his ideas and political thought. However, as Thomas Edison says.