The genius of Common Sense was that it gave voice to the collective anger and frustration felt by countless American patriots and it succeeded in spinning an already angry populace even further into the realm of tear-ass rebelliousness. To this day it remains a seminal text of American political thought. From New Hampshire to Georgia, discontented colonists devoured Paine’s prose and the desired effect was achieved. Published in 1776, the pro-revolutionary tract laid out the case for separation from Great Britain and roundly condemned not only King George III, but also the very institution of monarchy. Paine’s most famous work was a pamphlet entitled Common Sense. His thoughts on individual liberty were way ahead of the curve and his notions about the right relationship between government and the governed were downright Jeffersonian - you might even argue that it was Jefferson who drew inspiration from Paine. A British expat and adopted American, Paine was a tireless polemicist who never met a revolution he didn’t like. During the 18th century, if you liked your politics radical, Thomas Paine was your guy.
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