Customer Reviews

Common Sense, The Rights of Man and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In an unrelenting quest to understanding the history of the United States, one obscure name comes to mind, Thomas Paine. Paine helped establish the meaning of democracy and the "united" in United States. His two monumental works, COMMON SENSE AND RIGHTS OF MAN, provided the philosophical and rhetorical building blocks that the founding fathers, such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, et al., would emulate with the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Many take for granted the origins of freedom and democracy in the United States, and as with many school history textbooks depict, Paine merely appears in a paragraph or two, and quickly disappears to historical oblivion.

Nevertheless, when one reads COMMON SENSE AND RIGHTS OF MAN: AND OTHER ESSENTIAL WRITINGS OF THOMAS PAINE, there will be no doubt how significant his philosophical and political writings transformed the political structure of the colonies. Although this may sound somewhat romanticized, Paine's words ignited the energy for the colonists to free themselves from the tyrannical-monarchical leadership of England's King George III. With all the talk of Paine being a founding father, he may also be considered the father of revolution, American Revolution and French Revolution, and human rights. Without the inspiration from his friend Edmund Burke, author of REFLECTIONS ON THE REVOLUTION IN FRANCE, Paine may not have been able to write the pamphlet Rights of Man. Indeed, his power of the written word translated to revolutionary action, and Jeffersonian ideology.

In clear and no nonsense language, Paine's perspective of the state of the colonies are elaborately told in COMMON SENSE. He adamantly shows his opposition toward hereditary rule and limitations imposed on individuals by George III and his vehement disdain towards aristocrats and kings. For RIGHTS OF MAN, he proposed possible solutions toward poverty, and created a blueprint towards achieving social and political institutions through his written abstracts. The other essential writings include the pamphlets, THE CRISIS, part one of THE AGE OF REASON, and selections of AGRARIAN JUSTICE. These writings gives readers an idea the political and religious atmosphere in which Paine lived, and how "breaking ties" with the so-called "motherland" was necessary towards forging a free nation.

COMMON SENSE AND RIGHTS OF MAN is indeed accessible with its pocketbook size form. After reading the book, readers may have a better understanding of what it takes to build a nation. Paine's words are lessons of history and humanity, and is definitely recommendable reading.

Thomas Paine's clear and concise writings make him one of the greatest political authors of his time. Basic thoughts of freedom and democracy, that seem so common place nowadays, were brought about because of Paines "radical" ideas. His books Common Sense and The Rights of Man were written not just for the political philosopher but also for the common man. Both the aforementioned books played a big part in the American and French Revolutions.

This is what we're founded on, what America is supposed to be, and the way we should conduct our political affairs. Paine should probably be required reading for every citizen, every student, anyone wondering what freedom really means. Besides being informative, it is incisive, sarcastic, humorous, and passionate. The English is old and dated, but that just adds to its delight. I read this in short segments and then thought about each chapter. It made me proud to be an American and sad to realize how much freedom we've lost since Paine's day.

Thomas Paine is essential reading to anyone who wants to understand American History. However, this particular edition, presented by Signet Classics, is the most disappointing presentation of any classic I have ever seen. While "Common Sense" appears to be presented in its entirety, "The American Crisis" (aka simply "The Crisis") is not. Parts 2, 6, and 9-12 are omitted entirely, and parts 3, 4, 7 & 8 are presented with only "selections". I don't know about any other readers, but this is extremely annoying to me. It is almost as annoying as when Readers Digest decided to present an edited version of The Bible, omitting sections they felt were unimportant because they were duplicates of other sections. I certainly do not equate the writings of Thomas Paine with those of the Bible, but the principle is the same: I do not want someone omitting sections that the author, whether it is God or Thomas Paine, felt should be part of what he had to say. I am reading "The Crisis" presented in a library copy edited by Eric Foner and am looking for an edition of my own. If you want to just hit the highlights of Paine's work, then the Signet edition may be for you. If you want to read Thomas Paine as he spoke to America, Britain and the world, don't waste your money on this edition.

I discovered Paine about five years ago, and just the knowledge that a man like him lived was very uplifting to me. If only American schools would teach more of Paine. A true friend of man and one who truly understood what society needs, if all men -- and especially their leaders -- thought like Thomas Paine, our world would be farther, much farther ahead -- not in mere "progress," but in true, meaningful betterment -- and would be as close to "heaven" as one could imagine.

Everyone in our world needs to read and understand Thomas Paine. This book and Age of Reason are essential reading today more than ever before.

... Thomas Paine is one of our Nation's most misunderstood Founders. 'The Rights of Man,' contrary to public misunderstanding (usually by those who have not read it in it's entirety), bears out that Paine in fact *did* believe in a Divine entity, quoted directly from the Bible throughout the Essay, and had a near-encyclopedic understanding of the New Testament. His criticisms were of organized religion and how *men* had used it to corrupt the very idea of an afterlife and the ideas of faith. The publication of "Common Sense," most forget, was one of the most important causes of the American Revolution. Often derided even in his own time, Paine reminds us that those who speak ideas that cause painful debate are at the heart of our Nation's Ideals.

Everyone in America should have this book read, and shared with their children. Truly, a book for the ages.

This was required reading for a graduate course in the history of the French Revolution. For Thomas Paine, the eighteenth century was the Age of Enlightenment because for the first time humankind was throwing off the millstones of religious dogmatism and political despotism. Paine essentially believed that the rights of man encompassed, "...all the intellectual rights, or rights of the mind, and also all those rights of acting as an individual for his own comfort and happiness, which are not injurious to the natural rights of others" (Paine, 68).

Paine's Rights of Man was an eloquent yet blistering rebuttal to Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France. Paine got right to the crux of the disagreement he had with Burke when he admonished him for his argument that governmental enactments of previous generations had the force and authority to bind citizens for all time. An example that Burke used was the English Parliament of 1688, which he praised as a model of the type of reform French citizens should emulate. Paine's answer was swift and cutting "Radical Enlightenment" reason. "Every age and generation must be as free to act for itself, in all cases, as the ages and generations which preceded it. The vanity and presumption of governing beyond the grave, is the most ridiculous and insolent of all tyrannies" (41-42). Paine also took Burke to task for his narrow understanding of French socio-political and economic problems leading up to 1789. Unlike Burke, Paine understood that the French Revolution, unlike the others that took place in Europe, was not just a revolt against the king. "Between the monarchy, the parliament, and the church, there was a rivalship of despotism, besides the feudal despotism operating locally, and the ministerial despotism operating everywhere" (48). Thus, what Paine witnessed, Alexis de Tocqueville and Georges Lefebvre observed, agreed with, and commented on, in their history's years later. The institutions that Burke defended in his Reflections, such as the nobility, Church, and monarchial rule, all became "fodder" for Paine's "grist mill" in his defense of France's new constitution.

Paine abhorred the institution of nobility and supported its dissolution for several reasons.

"Because the idea of hereditary legislation is as inconsistent...and absurd as an hereditary mathematician....Because it is continuing the uncivilized principle of governments founded in conquest, and the base idea of man having property over man, and governing him by personal right" (83). No friend to tradition, Paine took Burke to task for defending the notion of, "...hereditary rights, and hereditary succession, and that a Nation has not a right to form a Government for itself" (Paine, 116). Paine defended the French constitution's eradication of tithes to the Catholic Church and it "...hath abolished or renounced Toleration, and Intolerance also, hath established UNIVERSAL RIGHT OF CONSCIENCE" (85). Finally, Paine unleashed a most scathing attack against Burke's suggestion that France should reform its absolutist monarchy into a benign form of constitutional monarchy similar to what Britain enjoyed. "All hereditary government is in its nature tyranny" (172). "It occasionally puts children over men, and the conceits of nonage over wisdom and experience. In short, we cannot conceive a more ridiculous figure of government, than hereditary succession" (173).

Thus, Paine's Radical Enlightenment polemic, which sold more than 200,000 copies throughout Europe, was his reasoned and articulate project towards developing a better world. Consequently, there is no doubt that Paine, whose Radical Enlightenment pen proved to be "mightier than the sword" of despotism both in the American and French Revolutions, understood the importance of the nurturing relationship that Enlightenment philosophes had on the French Revolution. "But all those writings and many others had their weight; and by the different manner in which they treated the subject of government...by their moral maxims and systems of economy, readers of every class met with something to their taste" (Paine, 94).

Recommended reading for anyone interested in political philosophy, enlightenment history, and the French Revolution.

Thomas Paine is not as heralded as the rest of the Founding Fathers. This is most likely due to his not holding any political office, and largely due to his heterodox views on religion. But more about the that later.

I was quiet impressed with Paine's "Golden Voice" for the Revolution. He had a talent, and even a genius, for persuasive essaymanship. John Adams wrote, "Without the pen of Thomas Paine, the sword of Washington would have been wielded in vain."

This is a book of selections, and as C. S. Lewis observed, "The only use of selections is to deter those readers who will never appreciate the original, and thus save them from wasting their time on it, and to send all the others on the original as quickly as possible." (The Quotable Lewis, #447)

For a complete compilation, buy Thomas Paine : Collected Writings : Common Sense / The Crisis / Rights of Man / The Age of Reason / Pamphlets, Articles, and Letters (Library of America).

Here is the breakdown of this book's contents:

"Common Sense" (complete): Plain and simple, this should be required reading for every high school student--or even earlier. We cannot underestimate the connection between this pamphlet, Patrick Henry's "Liberty or Death" speech, and the decision to go ahead with the Declaration of Independence. In fact, the order, logic, and evidence that Paine used in this pamphlet was reused by Jefferson in the Declaration.

"The Crisis" (selections): These essays are a combination of motivational speeches and silver-tongued ridicule--a cross between Tokyo Rose and Rush Limbaugh.

"Rights of Man" (complete, both parts):

Coming in two part, this book could also be divided along the lines of it's contents: One half is a rambly screed against Edmund Burk's Reflections on the Revolution in France (Oxford World's Classics), the other half is rather snazzy political theory. For example, his distinction between natural and civil rights is a gem.

Age of Reason (selections of part 1): This is the book that really undid Paine and brought about the famous doggerel: "Here lies Tom Paine, who wrote in liberty's defense / And in his `Age of Reason' lost his `Common Sense.'" Like Nietzsche, Paine had a talent for sarcasm which overshadowed his evidence. Think of How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must): The World According to Ann Coulter.

Though critical of religion, the book did leave it's mark: Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism (The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ or Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith's Teachings), was well-schooled in this book. His mother recorded that Smith's paternal grandfather got into a heated discussion with his father, and threw a copy of the book and told Smith's father to read it until he believed it History of Joseph Smith by His Mother: Revised and Enhanced. BYU scholar Joseph Fielding McConkie, a great-great grandnephew of Joseph Smith, was also favorable to certain aspects of the book "Seeking the spirit."

Really, this book is nothing new, if one is familiar with Bertrand Russell's or Carl Sagan's critiques, or spend any time reading anti-Christian blogs. A Christian response would be either Mere Christianity or More Than a Carpenter.

When he presented the manuscript to Benjamin Franklin, the sage replied, "At present I shall only give you my opinion, that, though your reasonings are subtle and may prevail with some readers, you will not succeed so as to change the general sentiments of mankind on that subject, and the consequence of printing this piece will be, a great deal of odium drawn upon yourself, mischief to you, and no benefit to others. He that spits against the wind, spits in his own face."

His parting paragraph is a mixture of wit, wisdom, and prophecy:

"I would advise you, therefore, not to attempt unchaining the tiger, but to burn this piece before it is seen by any other person; whereby you will save yourself a great deal of mortification by the enemies it may raise against you, and perhaps a good deal of regret and repentance. If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without it."

So take it for what it is. Whatever your view of organized religion may be, this book should round out your thinking.

Agrarian Justice (selections): This is Paine's plan for redistributing income to equalize living conditions. The intent of economic equality is in accord with Paine's big heart. But for the man who said, "Government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one," it is beyond strange that he would advocate such intrusiveness. Why would he want to create a nation-wide welfare system, which would of necessity, empower that "necessary evil." Maybe he did loose his common sense in his age of reason.

As I mentioned earlier, Paine is not as well known as the other founders, partly due to "Age of Reason." Additionally there is a shallowness to Paine's prose. At times he is an avid marksman for political theory, as in parts of "Common Sense" and "Rights of Man," at other times he merely strings together platitudes, invective, cracker-barrel wisdom, and off-hand sarcasm. There is no analytical depth as we get with Aristotle, Ayn Rand, C. S. Lewis, or the Thomases (Sowell and Aquinas). So I felt like I was drinking skim milk, as opposed to chocolate cream. His essays are persuasive, but not as intellectually satisfying as they could be. His talent, then, comes from an instinct for properly applying his talent for surface-level discussion. Today, he would be an NPR talking head.

Thomas Paine is one of the most relevant authors of the American Revolution. Common Sense, Age of Reason and Rights of Man are three books that will give a person the clearest perspective into the ideology of the founding fathers. This and John Locke's two treatises will inform any reader on the beautiful principles this country was formed upon. One can also use this book as a reference to see how modern political arenas and perspectives differ from the legacy our founding fathers wanted to leave behind.

Anyone with any interest in the American Revolution or American history would not be disappointed with this book.