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Thomas Paine's common essay
Thomas Paine's common essay
Equality in society
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Thomas Paine Common Sense Discussion Question: 1. According, to Paine, what is the difference between society and government? According to Paine, society is compared to a blessing while government is an evil. There are many clearly differentiation between society and government. First one is proceeding from the human necessaries when everybody want to get in touch to each other. Second one develops from human dissolution to take control and restrict crimes to compel them to follow government rules. 2. What is the meaning of "liberty" and "equality" in Paine's thought? Due to Paine’s thought, liberty is one kind of human freedom in their lifestyle, gestures, thoughts, and act under the power of authority. In order of the creation, everybody …show more content…
was born equal. So in spite of the distinction of their races, class, or genders everyone has to be treated the same way. 3.What is the relationship between "liberty and equality"? The relationship between them is mutual. They are the elements of the human rights. 4. According to Paine, why is there a need for regulations and government in general? Because without any rules and governing, there is no safety for each individual’s freedom that means everybody may use their right to violate each other. Moreover, government is needed to regulate rules and laws which can protect the moral virtue of human. 5. Why does Paine consider the English monarchy to be ineffective? Because the monarchy includes lots of absurdity in its structure. All the monarchy power is belong to the king, but instead of being elected by the community, this power is passed from generation to generation. 6. What does Paine think that America will gain by separating from England? Because England is too far from America for governing effectively. It’ll take at least a year to regulate the rule when something from colony is informed to England. Moreover, American citizens have to work hard from generation to generation only to pay for the debts of England not theirs. 7. List the reasons why Paine thinks independence is necessary. First, he considers the size of the colonies in area and population as well. Both have potential and advantage than England. Secondly, he compares costs and debts which British must cover to build up and remain Britain navy while all materials to build ships which are available in American without purchasing. Thirdly, this period is appropriate because the colonies are on the way of development, and population is growing so fast. Thus, they need to connect into a unit, and independence is necessary. 8.
What is the "most powerful of all augments" for independence? According to Paine, the most powerful of all arguments is nothing but independence. He states that people are afraid of changing because they think independence can lead to civil war. But, if they have a plan and prepare completely, they can win and reduce the number of fatalities than reconcile with Britain. 9. For Paine, what is the relationship between law and liberty? For Paine, the relationship between law and liberty is that the establishment of individual liberty, but it is limited by law of government. While the society grow, there is a lot potential problems that need solving. At that time, they need some people are able to solve them in order to avoid conflicts appearing in their society. The requirement is that they need a government can build laws that limit natural liberty to stabilize their society. 10. How does Paine answer the question, "Where is the king of America"? Paine emphasizes that the law of governments is the king of America. The law should be set as a king to run free countries which are in monarchy. In America, a free country, law is created to control all matters in social lives. 11. What do you learn from reading this
assignment? I have gained more knowledge about American history, especially about the England colonial period. This work has a significant and strong influence to the revolution for independence in America at that time. I also understand the reason why a lot of revolutions often use their writing to influence on citizens’ will.
The 1770s proved to be a time of much chaos and debate. The thirteen colonies, which soon gained their independence, were in the midst of a conflict with Great Britain. The colonies were suffering from repeated injuries and usurpations inflicted upon them by the British. As a result of these inflictions, Thomas Paine and Patrick Henry addressed these injustices, and proved to be very persuasive through providing reasoning and evidence that moved many colonists to believe that to reach contentment and peace the colonies had to rid themselves of British rule. Henry and Paine were successful in swaying their audience, not only because of the rhetorical strategies used, but also because they were passionate about the cause they were committed to.
“Join, or Die.” “Don’t Tread on Me.” These are two mottos often used by Revolutionary supporters and fighters from about 1754 to 1783, and even sometimes today it is still used. These were battle cries that patriotic men would scream with all their might before charging onto the battlefield, where they might take their last breath. Nearly five thousand men gave their lives, for freedom’s sake. Their sacrifices were not done in vain, as the war was ended on September 3rd, 1783. This sense of victory and accomplishment is what lead these new Americans to further establishing their country, making their mark on history, and creating a new identity for themselves, as free men and woman.
When it comes to the topic of the American Revolution, most of us will readily agree that it influenced essentially every code of ethics in today’s society. Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine address an identical topic. That is, they both provided inspiration to the American Revolution cause. Patrick henry on one point of view, speaks of the harshness of the British rule over the American colonies. In his statement, Patrick Henry addresses the oppressive British rule and emphasis grounds to maintain basic human rights. “Common Sense”, on the other hand stresses on the trials and tribulations of the American colonies under the British rule. With the use of persuasion in their writings, both Henry and Paine support the war against the Great Britain.
In “Common Sense”, written in 1776, Thomas Paine outlines to the American people that it is common sense for America to push for independence by stating, “But Britain is the parent country, say some. Then the more shame upon her conduct. Even Brutes do not devour their young, nor savages make war upon their families; wherefore, the assertion, if true, turns to her reproach; but it happens not to be true, or only partly so, and the phrase parent or mother country hath be jesuitically adopted by the King and his parasites” (685). This is a powerful example of persuasion in typology because during the Enlightenment, some Americans say that Britain is the parent country to America, thus not wanting to gain independence from Britain and settling with the status quo. Knowing this, Paine uses that mindset to spark a connection in the minds of the people by using persuasion in typology that mothers would not devour their young or make war upon their families.
It was Paine’s hope that in writing the pamphlet known as “The Crisis”, with all its rhetoric that it would persuade the colonists and those who still considered themselves loyal to their King and country, to seek their independence from England by whatever the means or cost. Paine’s use of recent events, such as the Stamp Act, to emphasize how “Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but to bind us in all cases whatsoever”; comparing the colonists to be bound as slaves and never to have free will to govern
People begin to think and form an opinion at an early age. Some of our opinions may be immature at first; however over the years, one’s opinions tend to grow and develop. As people become more mature, we stop listening and following our parent’s beliefs and start to form and follow our own. When one sits, and ponders, questions such as: how did the world come into existence, how long did it take, was it our twenty-four hour six days compared to the time before Christ? Although we may not realize it at the time, we are actually forming our own world-view upon answering these questions. In The Age of Reason, Thomas Paine stands for his own world-view and his belief system. Although I may not agree with everything he stands for, he gives a clear explanation as to why he believes what he does.
The measures made to ensure the king does not have absolute power are not enough to prevent him from ultimately getting his way no matter what that may be. On page 27 Paine tells how the king made the declaration that there will be no law unless put in place by himself. This effort to make the colonists powerless as to how they are governed is tyranny. Paine’s also argues that this event shows how Britain believes America has become too powerful and is trying to slow its growth and development (27). Those who are in parliament so far away from the tragic events that take place in America who live in such a vastly different world are too ignorant to make judgements for America (23). Paine’s statement that in America “law is king,” demonstrates the author’s argument that law developed for the people should be what runs the country not a single man (30). This coincides with the way America was running well before the war ended and Britain decided to exert more power over the colonies. This is made even more evident when Thomas Paine states Britain cannot be relied on to defend them because Britain is the entity that had been trying to take away America’s power and the people rights. Furthermore,
Thomas Paine wrote the Common Sense and in this pamphlet he wrote about America’s separation and independence from Great Britain. His argument stated that America is a large continent and we are in charge of our own fate and direction (Paine 107). Paine further explained that people migrated to America to escape the control of the King and his laws. Paine introduced a theory when comparing America to a small island, that it is possible if separated we can come together and make our own laws and run the country as we see fit (Paine 109). Paine believes that we are no longer in need of Britain’s help and that we can eventually form alliances with other countries as we stand alone outside of Britain’s control.
With America being as diverse as it is, people would think everyone is united, but is that completely true? Thomas Paine shows his view of America as being a harmonious country with no problems. Even though over the years America has become a lot more diverse, that does not signify, all of the sudden, we have become a problem-free nation, comparable to what Thomas Paine thinks. Every nation has difficulties, and that includes America. America is nowhere close to being a perfect nation, but some nations have a lot more conflicts than America; and we have been trying, over the years, to become closer as a stronger country. Even with diversity growing in America, supporting Paine's argument, the United States is not a complete, harmonious nation,
Paine had not entertained the idea of independence from Britain when he arrived in America. He thought it was “a kind of treason” to break away from Britain. It was not until the Battle of Lexington in 1775 that he considered “the compact between Britain and America to be broken” (Claeys). This idea of a broken compact allowed Thomas Paine to write a political pamphlet.
As you will see in this paper, I will point out many ways that these documents are still in effect today. In the end, you will understand how the United States of America came about. There are many things that I can compare to the Declaration of Independence and Common Sense pamphlet. Paine states “That government's sole purpose is to protect life, liberty and property, and that a government should be judged solely on the basis of the extent to which it accomplishes this goal.”
Now, the statement that Paine wrote that is held true today is, “people from nations, accustomed to different forms and habits of government, speaking different languages, and more different in their modes of worship, it would appear that the union of such a people was impracticable”. Today it would appear this to be considered true even though it
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was a powerful and successful propaganda weapon used to promote his idea of independence from Britain. In order to prove that seeking independence was necessary at this time in history, Paine wrote about the relationship between society and government, his opinions about the British monarchy and the King, and the freedoms he believed had been stolen from the colonists. Common Sense was written in terms that were easily relatable to the colonist of this time period. After they finished reading his work, many colonists’ opinions about the British were swayed by his strong words. Even though Paine arrived in America quite late, he was able to make a significant difference by changing the colonists’ views, which ultimately
We use the terms 'freedom' and 'liberty' in everyday language without giving much thought to a detailed description of the concept to which these terms refer. It is possible, to a certain degree, to examine why we see freedom as morally good, also without completely defining it. The investigation into a definition of freedom wi...
Freedom is a human value that has inspired many poets, politicians, spiritual leaders, and philosophers for centuries. Poets have rhapsodized about freedom for centuries. Politicians present the utopian view that a perfect society would be one where we all live in freedom, and spiritual leaders teach that life is a spiritual journey leading the soul to unite with God, thus achieving ultimate freedom and happiness. In addition, we have the philosophers who perceive freedom as an inseparable part of our nature, and spend their lives questioning the concept of freedom and attempting to understand it (Transformative Dialogue, n.d.).