In a time when revolutions were occurring as a chain reaction around the world, a lot of thinkers argued about whether their end would be productive to the society or not. In Rights of Man, Thomas Paine reasons why these revolutions, American and French Revolution specifically, were necessary in terms of freedom and equality among the people. As an idealist he believed that every human has the right to be free and that it is absurd for nations to form immortal laws to govern generations to come. He believes that “that immortal power is not a human right, and therefore cannot be a right of parliament.” He goes further on to reject Mr Burke’s ideas that hereditary government is a necessity because of man’s corrupt nature by arguing that man has natural born rights and by entering a compact they produce a government. Right of Man show us that because of its existence man has natural rights, from which civil rights arise, and that the two form the basis of a just government compared to tyrannical and unjust aristocratically ruling that was going through Europe. Thomas Paine argues that humans have natural born rights that appertain to him in right …show more content…
of his existence. According to him these “are all the intellectual rights, or rights of the mind, and also all those rights acting as an individual for his own comfort and happiness, which are not injurious to the natural rights of the others.” Taking a religious approach as well in his logic, he reasons that just like the genealogy of Christ is traced back to Adam, the same way rights of man should be traced all the way to its creation. In every religion and history of creation the idea of the unity of man is present, by which Paine means that “all men are born equal, and with equal natural right, in the same manner as if posterity had been continued by creation instead of generation.” Since generation is what carries forward the creation of man than every born child derives its existence to God. Therefore since reality is as new to the child as to the first man, his natural right is of the same kind. Accounts of genesis of man, whether seen as divine authority or merely historical, are built upon the idea of the unity or equality of man. This shows that even though this idea might seem modern for the time it is actually the oldest doctrine in records. Upon arguing about how existence of man is fundamental to his natural right, he jumps to the other type of right which derives from the previous one, civil right. Paine contends that “civil rights are those which appertain to man in right of his being a member of society” and “every civil right has for its foundation, some natural right pre-existing in the individual, but to the enjoyment of which his individual power is not, in all cases, sufficiently competent.” This is connected to security and protection. The distinction of natural right and civil right is that civil right is a natural right exchanged, that is made up of aggregation of natural rights which would be inoperative individually, but collected it benefits everyone. Nevertheless, this aggregation of civil right should not come to the expense of each individual’s natural right. According to Paine, this progression of rights is what traces a man from a natural individual to a member of society, and he uses through these principles to connect the two together and apply them to governments. The understating of natural and civil rights is essential in creation of a just government. However, before going on that, Paine walks us through the three ways that governments arise: superstition, power, and common interest of society and man. Paine completely opposes the government that arises through power as he gets “irritated at the attempt to govern mankind by force and fraud”, and is mostly concerned with the form of government that arises out of society. He claims that at a certain point “the individuals themselves, each in his own personal and sovereign right, entered into a compact with each other to produce government: and this is the only mode in which governments have a right to rise, and the only principle on which they have the right to exist” But to give us a clearer understanding of what government is, he asserts on tracing back to its origins to “discover that governments must have arisen, either out of the people, or over the people”. However, in order for a government to exist, Paine points out that its antecedent must exist first: constitution. Here is where the notion of natural and civil right should be implemented so that a government out of a society can rise. Paine defines constitution as “not an act of its government, but of the people constituting a government…the body of elements…which contains the principles on which the government shall be established, the manner in which it shall be organized, the powers it shall have, the mode of elections, the duration of parliaments…the powers which the executive part of the government shall have; and, in fine, everything that relates to the complete organization of a civil government, and the principles on which it shall act and by which it shall bound.” A constitution built upon the relationship of the natural and civil right, form the basis of a government that arises out of the people. After building his point about natural and civil rights incorporated in a government that serves its people, Paine uses that to critique the ruling forms of the monarchies in Europe and justify the American and French Revolution. He reasons that because the English government, was formed through conquest, and the country has not regenerated itself since William the Conqueror, hence, it is a government that has arisen over the people. He furthers his arguments by pointing that “the act by which the English Parliament empowered itself to sit seven years, shows there is no constitution in England.” He praises the fact the French Revolution resulted in the abolishment of aristocracy as it sees its nature and character as “a law against every law of nature, and Nature itself calls for its destruction.” He argues its illegitimacy by showing how it is based on family tyranny and injustice (the idea of primogenitureship), and showing that the idea of hereditary legislation sounds as absurd as that of hereditary mathematician or hereditary wise man. Furthermore, its actions should not be trusted it’s a body of men that hold themselves accountable to nobody, and they continue the “uncivilized principle of government founded in conquest, and the base idea of man having property in man, and governing him by personal right.” On the contrary the French constitution puts law before the king (the legislative before the executive), which according to Paine is the “natural order of thins; because laws must have existence, before the can have execution.” Nevertheless, Paine still believes that the voice of reason and the example of the American and French Revolution will throughout the world. Through Rights of Man, Thomas Paine show us the absurdity and injustice of the governments of the time.
He constitutes the meaning of natural and civil rights which apply to all men, and which should be the basis of how governments ought to arise. Throughout these notions he critiques the hereditary governing systems in Europe and praises the legitimacy of the revolutions. “If system of government can be introduced, less expensive, and more productive of general happiness, that those which have existed, all attempts to oppose their progress will in the end be fruitless. Reason, like time, will make its own way, and prejudice will fall in combat with interest. If universal peace, civilization, and commerce, are ever to be the happy lot of man, it cannot be accomplished but by a revolution in the system of
governments.”
“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.” (Pg 2, P1) Paine states that with the society and the existence of a government, this allows the society to live happily and united. The existence of a government will also be able to control a society with rules to live by and keeping the community safe. Paine demonstrates that the existence of the government system is indeed a positive necessity to have within a
The lawyer and scholar believed that there should be one universal government ruling the people, this government would be a led by a mix of all three classes. He states how a monarchy would be the ideal rule, but is extremely unrealistic as all humans reason equally. By instating a mixed form of government, people would feel more of a connection with the laws and more of a personal responsibility to follow them if they had a part in creating them. Additionally, all people would be seen as equal before the law as all have equal capabilities and through effort, a common good can be achieved; the only thing differentiating humans is their variety of gifts, besides this, there is no variation. A person’s economic status by no means defines their ability to lead, by all groups participating in government, there are no idle citizens that are not a part of the
...gining a State at least which can afford to be just to all men, and to treat the individual with respect as a neighbor; which even would not think it inconsistent with its own repose if a few were to live aloof from it, not meddling with it, nor embraced by it, who fulfilled all the duties of neighbors and fellow-men.” This shows that he has hope for what could be in the future. It may not happen soon, but it is possible. Another statement from the text; “A State which bore this kind of fruit, and suffered it to drop off as fast as it ripened, would prepare the way for a still more perfect and glorious State, which also I have imagined, but not yet anywhere seen.” This means that for a better state and government there must be a failed and flawed one for a better one to come along. Our civil disobedience is not only a right, but a duty, in opposing injustice.
The French Revolution was a tumultuous period, with France exhibiting a more fractured social structure than the United States. In response, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen proposed that “ignorance, neglect, or contempt of the rights of man are the sole cause of public calamities, and of the corruption of governments” (National Assembly). This language indicates that the document, like its counterpart in the United States, sought to state the rights of men explicitly, so no doubt existed as to the nature of these rights. As France was the center of the Enlightenment, so the Enlightenment ideals of individuality and deism are clearly expressed in the language of the document. The National Assembly stated its case “in
According to Thomas Jefferson, all men are created equal with certain unalienable rights. Unalienable rights are rights given to the people by their Creator rather than by government. These rights are inseparable from us and can’t be altered, denied, nullified or taken away by any government, except in extremely rare circumstances in which the government can take action against a particular right as long as it is in favor of the people’s safety. The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America mentions three examples of unalienable rights: “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. I believe these rights, since they are acquired by every human being from the day they are conceived, should always be respected, but being realistic, most of the time, the government intervenes and either diminishes or
Today America is country where everything and everyone are unique and united and unique nation make a union. Thomas Paine, an intellectual from the 18th century, wrote a famous piece called the Rights of Man where he listed points in which hold partially true and untrue today. In a passage Paine specifically wrote that are held untrue today is that the poor and the rich are treated fairly and equally, that there are no riots nor tumults, and that taxes are low for everybody. The only two statements that Paine describes the United States correctly is that the government is just and different people make it hard to form a union. Paine is trying to interpret that the country is united and just in his time and that it will continue to be like that; if Paine somehow traveled into the future and saw what America is today he might would 've not have written that passage since today there a things in America that are extremely different compared to the late 18th century.
The English Bill of Rights (1689) and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789) are roughly around the same period, in that it is possible to think the both documents share similar ideologies. To the thought’s dismay, it is not. Even if both documents start from the same question of taxation, the outputs vary enormously in that each has different aims: the English Bill of Rights (shortened as the English Bill from now on) only changes the crown and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man (shortened as the French Declaration) changes the whole society. However, they are similar in that both strived for the representation of the masses.
John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all dealt with the issue of political freedom within a society. John Locke's “The Second Treatise of Government”, Mill's “On Liberty”, and Rousseau’s “Discourse On The Origins of Inequality” are influential and compelling literary works which while outlining the conceptual framework of each thinker’s ideal state present divergent visions of the very nature of man and his freedom. The three have somewhat different views regarding how much freedom man ought to have in political society because they have different views regarding man's basic potential for inherently good or evil behavior, as well as the ends or purpose of political societies.
Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray. These are just some of the names of black individuals murdered in the past few years as a result of police brutality and racism. Evidently, racism is still prevalent in America today. In an excerpt from Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man, he claims that America is a melting pot of diversity where everyone is treated equally and respectfully. One could argue that racism has become a thing of the past, since slavery was abolished, segregation is illegal and everyone is given the same opportunities, but I would disagree. Although our society has gotten closer to becoming post-race, Paine’s claim still does not hold true today because of the stereotypes plaguing any minority group. While members of
39). This showing a slight similarity to the right of nature by Hobbes. That is, until man is forged into community and civilization. In which the matter of liberty forces certain individuals into chains. How individuals satisfied their state of nature during the development of communities changes to what he describes the descent from the State of Nature. Private property or slavery exemplifies that man surrenders not to the sovereign of one but that of the interest of General Will. As individuals become apart of the civil state liberty is determined by the agreement of laws under the social contract. By abiding by these common laws certain liberty is masked by obedience. While the sovereign suggests unity under General it reveals inequality that men have among each other.
Paine’s ideas influenced the Declaration of Independence in the fact that the American colonies fought for their independence in the Revolutionary War for a nation with equality. During this time period there were two main movements; The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening. After the creation of American colonies, the Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke influenced the idea of natural rights against a powerful government authority. “A state also of equality, wherein all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having more than another; there being nothing more evident, than that creatures of the same species and rank, promiscuously born to all the same advantages of nature, and the use of the same faculties, should also be equal one amongst another without subordination or subjection...” (Locke). Since the
Niccolo Machiavelli, John Locke, and John Stuart Mill present three distinct models of government in their works The Prince, Second Treatise of Government, and Utilitarianism. From an examination of these models it is possible to infer their views about human nature and its connection to the purpose of government. A key to comparing these views can be found in an examination of their ideas of morality as an intermediary between government and human nature. Whether this morality must be inferred from their writings or whether it is explicitly mentioned, it differs among the three in its definition, source, and purpose.
He believed that a government’s purpose is to protect us, but society is the positive that can come out of people working together to accomplish something. He stated, “society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its bests state is but a necessary evil…” Paine believed that government is an evil that is much needed, whereas society is a blessing that comes with having a government. Paine thought that the government’s job was to protect the people, their property, and freedom. Paine used an example to better appeal to the readers; he described a small group of people that had been left to fend for them in a secluded new part of the world. Obstacles such as hunger, labor, shelter, and even death eventually resulted in the formation of government and laws. He continued to describe how people would unavoidably become a society that needs government in order to function properly. Thomas Paine’s ideas about the relationship between government and society led him to believe that colonists should be the ones who create and execute laws, rather than a monarchist government. “In this first parliament,” Paine stated, “every man, by nature, will have a seat.” Paine wanted representation by the colonists instead of the King and
In answer to the changes sought out by the rebelling French communities, Edmund Burke’s release of the “Reflections on the Revolution in France” in 1790 depicted the man’s careful denunciation of the destructive nature of the people. Concurrently, Thomas Paine published a direct response in the form of two volumes dubbed “The Rights of Man” between 1791 and 1792. But apparently, Paine was ready to support that risk. In conclusion, Thomas Paine’s views are more convincing than those of Edmund Burke, just because of their motives behind the same.
On August 26, 1789, the assembly issued the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen.” Through judicial matters, this document was written in order to secure due process and to create self-government among the French citizens. This document offered to the world and especially to the French citizens a summary of the morals and values of the Revolution, while in turn justifying the destruction of a government; especially in this case the French government, based upon autocracy of the ruler and advantage. The formation of a new government based upon the indisputable rights of the individuals of France through liberty and political uniformity.