Common Sense

"Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one…"

Common Sense, Thomas Paine

Common Sense Pamphlet

Published in 1776 by Thomas Paine, Common Sense challenged British rule and the royal monarchy. The plain language that Paine used spoke to the common people of America and was the first work to openly ask for independence from Great Britain.

The book was released in January 1776, in a 48-page edition, which was anonymous do to the challenging content. The book sold more then 120,000 copies on the first three months and 500,000 copies on the first year. It also had more then 25 versions by the end of 1776. When asked why the book was anonymous, Thomas Paine answered saying that as he was wishing to serve an oppresed people, he would not take any profit as author, and donated the money to the Continental Army

The main arguments against British rule on the pamphlet were:

• It was absurd for an island to rule a continent.
• America was not a "British nation"; it was composed of influences and peoples from all of Europe.
• Even if Britain were the "mother country" of America, that made her actions all the more horrendous, for no mother would harm her children so brutally.
• Being a part of Britain would drag America into unnecessary European wars, and keep it from the international commerce at which America excelled.
• The distance between the two nations made governing the colonies from England unwieldy. If some wrong were to be petitioned to Parliament, it would take a year before the colonies received a response.
• The New World was discovered shortly before the Reformation. The Puritans believed that God wanted to give them a safe haven from the persecution of British rule.
• Britain ruled the colonies for its own benefit, and did not consider the best interests of the colonists in governing them.

Thomas Paine

DRG, Blogging the US Revo!!! xD