Thomas Paine's Argument For Independence

Thomas Paine claims in Common Sense in that the most powerful argument for Independence from Great Britain is, only a government that is located on the continent can maintain peace. His most important reason for this conclusion is that internal revolt is likely to continue to occur, and that this fate is far worse than war with Great Britain. The argument will be analysed through the five major pieces of inductive evidence Paine uses; First, those who have been harmed by Great Britain are many, likely to grow in numbers. Second, that after they have been ruined all the have is left is Liberty. Third, the colonies will become more detached from Great Britain,and are unlikely to ever want to reconcile. He outlines his evidence for this claim …show more content…
“All they now possess is liberty, what they before enjoyed is sacrificed to its services, and having nothing more to lose, they disdain submission.” This refers to those who had their property stolen. Paine actually illuminates further on at the end of the passage again stating “Were I driven from house and home, my property destroyed” he is again referring to this “nothing left to lose” mentality. He then uses a metaphor for the relationship between Great Britain and the colonies. He uses the parent/child metaphor but that of one on the cusp of …show more content…
“What is it Britain can do, who power will be wholly on paper, should vault tumult break out the very day after reconciliation?” This is countering the argument that civil war is sort of inevitable either way, this is the crux that no matter what war is coming. and that Britain's government is across the ocean, its formerly just on paper, those who occupy the enforcement roles, the actual government are in the colonies not in Britain. I think this drives the point home that this would always be a Civil War. This speaks directly to the detachment, both geographically and ideological, to the British