Corrupted by a Crown?
Prior to the revolutionary war on April 19, 1775, Thomas Paine published an argumentative pamphlet in the Pennsylvania magazine, titled Common Sense. Paine's involvement in politics was driven by unfair British Taxation, his purpose was to persuade the public that a revolution is necessary. He was convinced that without an immediate separation of Britain and America then, America would suffer intolerable circumstances as the continent became more populated. Undesirable consequences would occur such as losing sea ports and more bloodshed. He justified fighting for colonist's freedom and complete independence, by presenting fact to the public relating to Britain's claims of American Affairs, government vs. …show more content…
Paine writes, "Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness POSITIVELY by uniting our affections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices" (Paine, 6). Vices only come from man and government decisions derives from man therefore government is evil. In this quote, he demonstrates that only society can fulfill one's desires. To persuade the intended audience, Paine related government to a group of individuals on a remote land depending on one another to survive. On this land, moral virtue would be the rule of law, and no form of government would exist. Instead, the people on the land would form a society to teach other how to develop the land. Society as a substitute for a government could have persuaded individuals in the New World with no prior knowledge of ruining a colony except previous government styles from England. By outlining the mistakes and consequences Britain experienced a government rule, Paine intended to show examples of what European powers and government would do in the New World. He continued to examine the European constitution with three major flaws in the system. The first points show two flaws; monarchical and aristocratical tyranny. The problem with monarchial government is power for individual judgment instead of the designed Union of three powers checking each other. …show more content…
In order to persuade the men and women of the New World, he used biblical evidence against kings. He wrote that Heathens were the first to introduce government by kings and current government at that time failed to draw attention to all anti-monarchical scripture. Examples of scripture lead to the Lord being the ultimate ruler over people, and that no man or man's son should be valued more than another. Along with religious reasons against having a king, Paine points out many other reasons against Kings such as; kings are arrogant, too much lies on a King and Kings cause civil wars. Kings were stated to be arrogant because their minds are poisoned by power and do not understand the true desires and needs of the world. Both business civil and military decisions lie on a King leaving too much power in one man's decisions. The theory of Kings reducing civil war is invalidated when Paine provided many numerous accounts when the King was directly the cause of civil wars. Henry the Seventh was quoted to have