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Thomas Paine - Government and People

 

            Thomas Paine's views can be described as ones of independence and freedom, when an American thinks about the transformation our country made to an independent nation they will look to thank the pamphlet, Common Sense. Society gives people a sense of reality. Kings who are born into their position are raised to fulfill their duties because there has to be a leader, but they are shut off from the rest of the society and do not know how to properly rule over the colonies. Thomas Paine believes a government should not be composed of just one person, but several. Government needs to protect the rights of independence without becoming too corrupt because of human nature.
              Paine talks about his concern with human trust in Common Sense; he questions how man can't seem to trust yet there is the power of the king over all the people. These powers exist and he believes they should exist. He states in paragraph 27 that mankind were originally equal but there is now and was at the time, a distinction between the rich and the poor that caused havoc through power. He believes there should be power and someone should be in charge, however he states, "but how a race of men came into the world so exalted above the rest, and distinguished like some new species, is worth enquiring into, and whether they are the means of happiness or of some misery to mankind" (28). He believes the government needs a leader although human nature states otherwise naturally how a person is born over others. Kings are usually born into royalty and Paine says, "It is the pride of kings which throw mankind into confusion".
             (28). This quote shows the disagreement Paine has with human nature although he says in an earlier sentence that without kings there would be no war. "The cause of America is, in a great measure, the cause of all mankind" (25). He believes government is a necessity with a several rulers, but he doesn't believe this will help to shape a country.


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