Analysis Of Thomas Paine's Rights Of Man

Thomas Paine once said, “But where says some is the King of America? I 'll tell you Friend, he reigns above, and doth not make havoc of mankind like the Royal Brute of Britain...let it be brought forth placed on the divine law, the word of God; let a crown be placed thereon, by which the world may know, that so far as we approve of monarchy, that in America THE LAW IS KING.” This quote exemplifies that Paine placed greater faith and value on God than he did on a government that consisted of one supreme ruler; as long as America approved a monarchy government, the only standards people pursued were the laws formed by that leader. Because of Paine’s childhood, dislike of monarchies, and belief in strong state governments, it’s evident why he supported anti-federalism. Paine’s upbringing likely influenced his future political beliefs.

The premise that a nation, a unified people with a common heritage and culture, could exist where there is no commonality is absurd. However, even if one was to accept this premise, the argument still cannot stand on its own. The Constitution did not create a nation, but it did create a system which would nudge people’s loyalty away from the states and toward the national government, a process which is still and may never be complete. The discontinuity between the first and second revolutions comes not from a complete change from a confederation to a national government, but rather from a step in that direction. The states had no loyalty to one another before the second American Revolution.

What makes the United States unique and great is not a pledge, a flag, or a song, all of which are more properly labeled culturally temporary symbols of patriotism. The United States is the summation of many ethnic, religious and political backgrounds. David Brooks’ reason for writing “One Nation, Slightly Divisible” included the goal of finding the underlying cause of the divide between the social and economic aspects of our society.

Thomas Paine and Olaudah Equiano dispute the belief that Britain is more civilized than the countries it has colonized. Paine, as an upper class white man, is able to protest the power structure of Britain by proclaiming that the British government led by the aristocracy law of primogeniture is unethical and unnatural in his essay The Rights of Man that questions the nobility and the competence of the aristocracy who rule the empire of Britain. He argues that governments built on military conquests and aristocracy are based on despotism and cannot establish a fair and effective government for the people. Equiano, on the other hand, must disguise his voice as a freed African slave who has shown through his writing that he is equivalently or exceedingly capable of communicating and behaving as any white man in the upper and middle classes of Britain.

The American government that we know today, had many troubles when it first came together when the Constitution was first ratified in 1788. There had been many failed attempts at creating a new and successful government, such as the Articles of Confederation the first plan for the new American government. This proved to be very unsuccessful because the states held all federal power, while the national government had very little. In order to please both the Federalists and the Anti-Federalist, each party agreed to the Constitution with the addition of the Bill of Rights. Documents like the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the above documents are heavily influenced by the writings of John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu,

“The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind” (Paine 1). With the Revolutionary War beginning in 1775, and the publication of Common Sense, by Thomas Paine, only a year later, this statement was widely recognized and addressed the issue at hand: the fight for independence. According to Paine’s assertion, America’s desire for peace and freedom is a basic necessity of life; it is what all men desire. Despite this innate thirst for liberty, many residents of America’s thirteen colonies were fearful of Great Britain, and because of this fear, complied with Great Britain’s every whim. Consequently, most colonists were hesitant to fight against the mother country for independence.

Thomas More had an abundance of revolutionary ideas for his time, many of which he penned down in his famous work Utopia. More’s greatest focus in this short book is placed on exploring the possibilities and benefits of a new kind of government. His views on such things as freedom, community, and the innate nature of man were all considered when creating what More views as the epitome of a successful government. It is baffling to realize that, using these same principles of freedom, community, and the innate nature of man, another author could come to a conclusion in direct opposition with More’s outcome.

Thomas Paine believes that the government is an unnecessary evil that causes many problems for the citizens of the country that which it governs. Paine wants his readers to feel anger towards Great Britain, because he feels that they have abandoned the colonies, which at the time this was written were still apart of Britain. He has previous knowledge of what Britain has taxed America with, and the cruelty shown towards the colonial settlements. Paine logically concludes that Britain cannot be trusted to treat them fairly for the reason that they never did in the past.

A Revolution is “an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by governed people.” Leading to how the common purpose of Revolutionary speeches is to persuade citizens to overthrow an individual political system or government. For example, the speech “The Crisis No. 1” by Thomas Paine and the Virginia Convention, “Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death!” speech by Patrick Henry. The purpose of these speeches was to rally up their people and go against a specific government, making these two speeches Revolutionary speeches. A way Thomas Paine achieved his purpose of his speech was emotion.

The United States of America, is known to be one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world. It has often been referred to by many as a global melting pot or as locals may say callaloo, due to the amassing of diverse ethnicities, cultures and nationalities. Within its borders, resides immigrants or descendants of immigrants from almost every region in the world, and each has in some way added to the American culture and way of life. America is known for its stance on freedom, it is a nation that values equality and justice, this can be noted in the last few words of their national anthem ‘indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.’ However, for many, high levels of economic and social inequalities are daily struggles, a battle that has been fought for decades to claim the most basic rights, in the pursuit of achieving the American Dream.

This essay will be discussing and analyzing the document: Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine was an American founding father and very influential in the the enlightenment movement that started in 1714. Thomas Paine wrote common sense so people would begin thinking and discussing the way the British had been treating the colonies in the recent years. Paine believed that King George and the British parliament were tyrannical and that the colonies should do something about it. Common Sense appealed to many of the colonists because of the plain language Thomas Paine used.

Thomas Paine, a local pamphleteer in the pre-Revolutionary War era, wrote a convincing pamphlet to any colonists who were not already supporting the war for independence from Great Britain. In his argument, Paine uses rhetorical strategy, an emotional aspect, and divine revelation towards the citizens to create a very moving, passionate, and convincing call to arms. The first line, “These are the times that tried men 's souls,” is one of relatability and preparedness for the oncoming difficult times. Paine starts his essay off with a refutation of his argument, stating that although he wants this fight, he knows it will be tough. Paine then challenges the men’s bravery and patriotism to their country by stating the line “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country.”

America, the land of the free, was founded upon the standards life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In America’s early years, Thomas Paine, in his book Rights of Man characterized this country’s government as functioning in unison with no difficulties. When you break it down and look at the big picture, some people will argue that increased diversity has brought the nation to an all time peak, in terms of unity. Meanwhile, others maintain the idea that Thomas Paine’s assessment is mistaken for what is to one day be achieved. Yet while we would like to believe in his visionary, it unfortunately does not hold true today regarding both our modern politics and social principles.

Individuals lay the foundation of America. The Founding Fathers of this unique nation broke their allegiance with Great Britain to create an improved governing body. They desired an individual-centered authority as opposed to Britain’s monarchy, which ruled with tyranny. These Founding Fathers experienced a neglectful democratic monarchy that cared little about the ethical treatment of its people. The domineering actions of Britain challenged these historic individuals to form a new cultural identity.

Common Sense Analysis “I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common scenes.” (Thomas Paine, Common sense) This is the beginning sentence of “Common scene” written by Thomas Paine. Common sense s is a pamphlet written during a time of struggle between the British Monarchy and the American colonies. It was written to convince the colonist that their government had did them wrong and that they should gain their independence from Britain, by using different type rhetorical devices such as ethos, pathos, and others.