Analysis: Thomas Paine's Common Sense

Thomas Paine lived in one of the most memorable times in recent history. He was a true literary genius with the ability to stir the hearts of his readers with passion, instilling in them a desire to become free thinkers and above all, to desire that which had been sought after and paid for by the lives of many since the beginning of time, liberty.

As a child, Paine was daily subjected to the cruelties of eighteenth century Britain. He lived on the same street as The Wilderness Gallows and could have witnessed the executions of men, women, and children guilty of stealing meager amounts of food in order to survive, among other things. Once Paine had reached adulthood he would have been well aware of the injustices of the world. Most executions were for crimes that were unjustly leveled on the poor of the country simply trying to feed themselves or their family.

He watched as the elite cruelly punished the less fortunate by exiling them to the Americas, whipping them, and driving them out of town for the crime of “being poor.” This must have played a large part in shaping Paine’s views of the oppression under the rule of the state. Corruption of power saw the town’s elected representatives taking bribes, using intimidation, and bestowing favors on whomever they wished. The people were not being looked after as they were promised they would be. Paine witnessed first-hand the injustices levied against the lower classes by Britain’s elite class and used this knowledge later in his writings. He knew that Parliament was corrupt on a grand scale and after only six months in the colonies, he could see that the Colonists were losing more of their freedoms during the power struggle between the colonies and Britain.

His first published writing after his arrival to the colonies, which is an imagined conversation between General George Townshend, a martyred British war hero and General Thomas Gage, Commander of the British forces in Boston in the year 1775, shows that he saw the injustice the colonists faced. He brilliantly used Britain’s own hero to speak “sense” into the current British commander and to point out that the colonists were British just like him and they deserved the same treatment and protection. He states,

The American colonies are entitled to all the privileges of British subjects. Equality of liberty is the glory of every Briton. He does not forfeit it by crossing the Ocean. He carries it with him into the most distant parts of the world, because he carries with him the immutable laws of nature.

Another influence on Paine was his faith. He believed in a higher power and he believed in the bible and its teachings. His aversion to the slavery of the African people was apparent in his pamphlet entitled, “African Slavery in America.” Paine was not against all slavery; however, he thought that the way those slaves were obtained went against the very words of God that the slave traders stood on to justify their actions, calling these men “pretender Christians,” and “Man-stealers.” Using the “Sacred Scriptures to favour this wicked practice,” was the most appalling thing of all in his eyes. He argued that we must do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

He pointed out that many of the African people “inhabited fertile countries” and were, “industrious farmers” who, “enjoy plenty, and lived quietly, averse to war.” These men, women, and children were snatched away from their homeland, were separated and sold to the highest bidder if they survived the journey, yet they had committed no crime against the Europeans. He called for an immediate resolution to what he considered to be an abomination that must be corrected.

He used the scriptures to make countless valid points as to why a monarchial society was not the intention of God and was introduced by heathens. His answer to the Quakers’ claim that bearing arms was sinful and should be avoided was to point out that the colonists, “fight neither for revenge nor conquest; neither from pride nor passion; we are not insulting the world with our fleets and armies, not ravaging the globe for plunder. Beneath the shade of our own vines are we attacked; in our own houses, and on our own lands, is the violence committed against us.” He compared the British to highwaymen and robbers. He believed in the divine right of liberty and proved it again and again.

One of the most influential arguments that Thomas Paine made was that kings were not divinely appointed and, in fact, the practice of kingship was introduced by the Devil through heathens, which in turn caused a nation to sin with idolatry. He stated, "according to the scripture chronology, there were no kings; the consequence of which was there were no wars; it is the pride of kings which throw mankind into confusion.” He believed that a nation could not be at peace or enjoy true liberty with a monarch presiding over them. He mentioned the peaceful country of Holland, which had no king. He called kings prideful and pointed out that according to scripture, the Almighty, “expressly disapproves of government by kings.”

Another issue he addressed was the fact that the colonists were paying for a debt they did not incur. He stated that, “America is without a debt, and without a navy; yet for the twentieth part of the English national debt, could have a navy as large again.” Why should Americans have to pay higher taxes to the British to pay a debt they did not have a part in creating? Why not have their own navy? He went on to say that the supplies needed to raise a fleet were right there in America. They would not have to import any materials like the Dutch, Spaniards, and Portuguese were obliged to do. In a later edition of Common Sense he included an estimation of the cost for building a ship along with the value of the whole British navy. This showed the colonists that they could achieve the once thought impossible task. The colonists need not finance the British navy but, their own. This argument was, in my opinion, extremely valuable to the cause.

Paine’s The American Crisis, Number 1 was the most moving and passionate call to stand against tyranny. How he stirred the hearts of the American people with just the first paragraph. He reached into the heart of every soldier and breathed life into the fading embers within it. He related to them so well their inner most thoughts and fears. He knew they wanted to go home. They were disheartened and felt defeated, yet he was able to instill in them a renewed desire for freedom from oppression, their God given right. Paine boldly stated, “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: ‘Tis dearness only that gives every thing its value.” He went on to say that God would not give up on them or their cause. They were in the right. They had tried to avoid war. This was the only recourse. Their actions would be worth it all in the end. They would win their freedom and they did.

Without the publication of Common Sense and The American Crisis, we could very well be British subjects to this day. I enjoyed reading all of his publications and agreed with them. What is interesting to me is that we can apply his writings to today. Our own government is now just as corrupt, if not more so, than Parliament was in Paine’s day. It is so sad that so many men fought and paid with their blood to give freedom to us all and we have forgotten the cost. Our own government has levied high taxes against the American people while lining their own pockets and spending the money on things not beneficial for the common American. How would Thomas Paine see America today? I think he would be saddened to see our present state.