Thomas Paine was not only a revolutionary, but a political activists and philosopher. Through Common Sense, Thomas Paine immensely influenced and inspired the rebels in 1776 to declare independence from Great Britain. He highlights the many disadvantages of more concentrated forms of ruling and compares them to the advantages of being independent. Thomas Paine opens up his narrative by differentiating government from society. Society, according to Thomas, is something thats desired and works with the motive to fulfill everyones needs. Government, on the other hand is a ‘necessary evil,’ and is existent only to stray away immoral behavior. As populations grow, governance through elections deems necessary for the stability of a society. Thomas
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These arguments disclose that America had flourished under British ruling and that they provided the colonies with much needed protection. Thomas Paine, in response to the former argument mocks it by saying, ‘’We may as well assert that because a baby has thrived upon milk that it is never to have meat.” This quote serves to divulge the fallacies behind the argument. His belief was that America would have evolved and become better off without European ruling. He goes on to belittle the latter argument stating that Great Britain served their interests and not that of the Americans. The British weren’t interested in protecting the Americans from their combatants, rather they were more fixated on protecting themselves from their enemies. His argument is further strengthened when he adds that, “France and Spain never were, nor perhaps ever will be, our enemies as Americans, but as our being the subjects of Great Britain.” His arguments serve to prove that the British never protected America, but made her more vulnerable to enmity. He diminishes the value of the English army by revealing that “not a tenth of them are fit for service.” He continues on to explain why even a fifth of their navy that’s fit for service is not available due to a large demand from Africa, The East and West Indies, and the Mediterranean. Arguments in favor of the British rule are contradicted by the lack of actual threat the British navy
These arguments disclose that America had flourished under British ruling and that they provided the colonies with much needed protection. Thomas Paine, in response to the former argument mocks it by saying, ‘’We may as well assert that because a baby has thrived upon milk that it is never to have meat.” This quote serves to divulge the fallacies behind the argument. His belief was that America would have evolved and become better off without European ruling. He goes on to belittle the latter argument stating that Great Britain served their interests and not that of the Americans. The British weren’t interested in protecting the Americans from their combatants, rather they were more fixated on protecting themselves from their enemies. His argument is further strengthened when he adds that, “France and Spain never were, nor perhaps ever will be, our enemies as Americans, but as our being the subjects of Great Britain.” His arguments serve to prove that the British never protected America, but made her more vulnerable to enmity. He diminishes the value of the English army by revealing that “not a tenth of them are fit for service.” He continues on to explain why even a fifth of their navy that’s fit for service is not available due to a large demand from Africa, The East and West Indies, and the Mediterranean. Arguments in favor of the British rule are contradicted by the lack of actual threat the British navy