Thomas Paine's Common Sense Pages 177-179

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense Pages 177-179 

 



Thomas Paine

 

Common sense. One of the most popular pamphlets of American History. However, I feel as if in high school education, they just tell you about it and never have the students read it for themselves. Common Sense, in the intro, said that it had two purposes: “to make an appeal for the separation and independence of the American colonies from the British empire, and to propose the replacement of monarchy with a republican form of government” (Page 177). This is all high school students learn of Common Sense, but now we will learn more about some of the points he brought up as to why America should be free of the British Empire and why they should replace the monarchy with a republican form of government.

Before Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense the colonists had been advocating for separation from Britain and were attempting as best they could to do it peacefully. However, Pain mentioned: “As Britain hath not manifested the least inclination towards a compromise, we may not be assured that no terms can be obtained worthy the acceptance of the continent, or any ways equal to the expense of blood and treasure we have been already put to” (Page 178). He goes on to say “but if the whole continent must take up arms, if every man must be a soldier, it is scarcely worth our while to fight against a contemptible ministry only. Dearly, dearly, do we pay for the repeal of the acts, if that is all we fight for in a just estimation, it is as great a folly to pay a Bunker-hill price for law, as for land” (Page 178). At first, Paine eased the reader into the situation, and now that they know the context, he is NOT holding back his feelings. This statement is really very powerful. All he really wants is for Britain to repeal their Acts: No Taxation Without Representation: the phrase all high school kids have memorized. However, he also believes that it is very silly to merely fight over one cause, so he will list other causes to try and persuade the loyalists to believe in his cause.

 

Photo Copy of Common Sense

 “First. The powers of governing still remaining in the hands of the king, he will have a negative over the whole legislation of this continent. And as he hath shewn himself such an inveterate enemy to liberty, and discovered such a thirst for arbitrary powers, is he, or is he not, a proper man to say to these colonies, ‘You shall not make no laws but what I please’” (Pages 178-179). Here, Paine is trying to explain to the loyalists a specific point of why the King of Britain shouldn’t be governing over America. “Instead of going forward, we shall go backward, or be perpetually quarreling or ridiculously petitioning—We are already greater than the king wishes us to be, and will he not hereafter endeavour to make us less? To bring the matter to one point. Is the power who is jealous of our prosperity, a proper power to govern us? Whoever says No to this question, is an independent, for independency means no more, than, whether we shall make our own laws, or whether the king, the greatest enemy this continent hat, or can have, shall tell us ‘there shall be no laws but such as I like’” (Page 179). Paine, having no reservations, freely speaks his mind and denounces the king, for which he could be hanged if they came over from Britain to do so. However, Paine knows that this is a worthy cause and believes that their fight will be worth something very soon.