In the 1776 document Common Sense by Thomas Paine, Paine tries to convince the American colonies that they are being fraternized by Britain under false pretenses, and that they should claim their freedom from their oppressive and manipulative rule immediately. In doing so, Paine actually highlights many of the principles of the Classical Christian Anthropology, the doctrine that our founding fathers initially instilled into the framework America. He also gives examples of the British government to emphasize the principles of Modern Anthropology, and to juxtapose against the Classical Christian Anthropology, or the government of the American colonies. My paper will explore the anthropological principles that underlie Paine’s argument in Common Sense, and how he uses them to explore British rule over American government.
Thomas Paine begins his article by first exploring the differences between society and government. He explains that, “society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil.” (Frohnen 179) What he means by this is that to have society and community is a privilege, because we as humans are designed to have a need for human interaction, while government on the other hand is only a necessary evil, simply because we as humans are also designed to be inherently evil, and therefore government is a necessary evil to have in order to monitor wrongdoing, or to keep us from our own vices in other words. This emphasizes the Classical Christian Anthropological principle of duality, which is the inner struggle that we as humans have between amor sui, the love of self, and amor dei, the love of God. This struggle springs from the fact that evil is found within man, and we must mak...
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...their success simultaneously.
Overall, Paine’s argument of what he believes the government of the American colonists should be underlines many principles of the Classical Christian Anthropology such as duality, a limited government, consensus and moral deliberation, decentralized government and reasonable expectations. He also uses principles from Rousseau’s Modern Anthropology when chastising Britain’s tyrannical government form, using examples such as the principle of unity, and an unlimited and centralized form of government. He is an advocate of the freedom of the American colonists, and a critic of Britain’s hypocritical and manipulative monarchy system, and in the end wants them both to just be free of each other, which is simply “Common Sense.”
Works Cited
Frohnen, Bruce. The American Republic: Primary Sources. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2002. Print.
The language used in Common Sense is that of a leader hoping to inspire his followers to heed his warning and answer his call. Paine's audience was the people of the colonies, he wanted them to realize that the oppression of the crown has not limit and sure there were benefits of belonging to the crown, there were far more oppression beyond measure that comes with such benefits.
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.
“Common sense will tell us, that the power which hath endeavored to subdue us, is of all others, the most improper to defend us.” Such words scribed by the Revolutionary radical Thomas Paine epitomized the drive behind the American Revolution of the 18th century. For nearly two hundred years, the citizens of the American Colonies had been fastened securely to the wrist of the mother country, England. They had tolerated the tyrannous rule, but not without the simmer of rebellious thoughts. As England piled tax after tax onto their colonies, thoughts of revolution and revolt sprung up in the minds of the colonists and brewed there, waiting for a catalyst to drive them into action. The catalyst ignited on January 10th, 1776 when Thomas Paine published his fiery pamphlet ‘Common Sense’. The 48-page pamphlet presented before the colonists a vision for independence that had never been conceived before. It radically altered the course of the Revolution and would later find itself molding the foundation of America’s government indefinitely.
“In God We Trust” is the phrase upon which we base our country. It can be seen on our money, in our justice system, and even in our Pledge of Allegiance. By recognizing God as the foundation of truth and justice which most people were inclined to accept, both Paine and Henry formed successful arguments based partly upon transfer. Because God is considered the truth, the right way, and the fair judge of the world, it only made sense to use His influence to give credibility and the positive connections associated with God to the American Revolution. As intended, both audiences freely a...
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,
What was the common good for all Americans in 1776? Thomas Paine, a political activist during America’s struggle for independence from England, argues in Common Sense, a pamphlet published in the Pennsylvania Magazine, with the American colonists, demanding a revolt with the British crown (Thomas Paine). He passionately believes that the answer to the “…benefit of all people in [American] society” (Thomas Paine) will result from the freedom of oppression for the thirteen American colonies. Common Sense, “the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era”, remains noted by historians as one of the most influential pieces of literature during the era of the American Revolution
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.
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson appeals to patriotism. Jefferson ensures this by persuading the colonists to become self-governing. He tries to let all of the people of the New World understand that they have protested and defended themselves against the British for all of the corrupt acts the British have committed upon the colonists. Jefferson’s tone in the Declaration of Independence portrays how tiresome he has grown of the British rule after all of the deception towards Americans. Included within the idea of patriotism, is the idea of loyalty to the fundamental values and principles underlying American democracy. Thomas Paine also provides patriotism to get advocates for the movement to separate from the British forces. Correspondingly, Paine persuades Americans that they will prosper in numerous areas without the control of the British saying, “Is the power who is jealous of our prosperity, a proper power to govern us? Whoever says No to this question is an independent, for independency means no more, than, whether we shall make our own laws…” (Paine). Paine uses a demanding tone to convince Americans that if they should accept the ties with Britain, it will bring ruin and distress to the
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.
During 1776, the United States was at war to gain its own independence from the hands of the tyrant King George III and his kingdom. As the fightt continued, the spirits of the U.S. soldiers began to die out as the nightmares of winter crawled across the land. Thomas Paine, a journalist, hoped to encourage the soldiers back into the fight through one of his sixteen pamphlets, “The American Crisis (No.1)”. In order to rebuild the hopes of the downhearted soldiers, Thomas Paine establishes himself as a reliable figure, enrages them with the crimes of the British crown, and, most importantly evokes a sense of culpability.
While Crèvecoeur may insist cultural diversity is the significant quality that establishes American character from any other nation, he and Paine agree that the American identity is formed by the ideas of freedom, civil rights, and justice. According to Micheal True, Paine is able to capture how Americans dream of personal freedom, and how a fairly new and untested government becomes unique to their experience. True depicts Paine's “ essays embellished the American dream and showed a deep trust in the democratic process, as represented by the colonial experiment. It showed a firm belief in a new age, free of the burdens of the past. “ (American Writers:A Collection of Literary Biographies, 506). While Americans seem to demand more from their governments and justice systems, Paine suggests Americans have an uncommon character for justice. Paine says what is lawful and ethical according to the common people is a ubiquitous and specific trait to the Americans. He admits American justice and integrity, “they distinguish us from the herd of common animals” (331). While freedom, justice, and civil rights can be desires of the character from many other nations, the opportunity to enact their ideologies into a new society separates Americans from those under a pre-existing
Reflective of the growing secularism in American politics, Paine’s pamphlets eschew the historical exegesis that the typologies of Edwards and Rowlandson represent. In one particularly illustrative passage, Paine writes that “Even the distance at which the Almighty hath placed England and America is a strong natural proof that the authority of the one over the other was never the design of Heaven” (“Common Sense” 645). Though he maintains the religious ancestry in his assignation of type and antitype, God fulfills neither role; here, Paine argues that physical distance creates political distance. Although he mentions the will of God to strengthen the validity of his claim, his logic holds regardless of the existence of a deity. This proves a substantial change from the conventions of typology prior to Paine, as even though Edwards also wields type and antitype as persuasive tools, his rhetoric depends on the assumption of a higher power for cogency. As such, Paine offers a paradigm of the evolution of typology from its Puritan roots to the secular instrument it becomes across the literary
Thomas Paine constructs Common Sense as an editorial on the subject of the relationship between the Colonies and Great Britain. Through the paper, he hopes to educate his fellow Americans about this subject. In his introduction, he says he feels that there is 'a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong'; which 'gives it a superficial appearance of being right'; (693). He is alluding to the relationship, also calling it a 'violent abuse of power'; (693). This choice of words is similar to those of Jefferson, who asserts that the king had established an 'absolute tyranny'; over the states. Both men set an immediate understanding about their feelings towards the rule of Great Britain over the States. However, where Common Sense seems to be an opinionated essay, Thomas Jefferson writes somewhat of a call to battle. Paine generally seems to be alerting his readers to the fact that there is more going on than they are aware of. Jefferson, on the other hand, begins his declaration by stating, 'When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another'; (715). Unlike Paine, this seems to presuppose that readers are aware of the plight of the nation, and Jefferson is announcing that the time has come to take a stand.
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.