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Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense”

The revolutionary era in America was a very important time in the history of America. The

period is between 1774 and 1783, when the thirteen colonies had joined forces to fight the

British Empire. America eventually declared their independence in 1776 and in the same

year a pamphlet was published, it was named “common sense” by Thomas Paine. The

pamphlet became a sensation because it was the first work written in plain language asking

the Americans to seek independence from British monarchy. Thomas Paine was an

immigrant from Britain and from the experience of living under the Monarchy in England, he

had all the experience to explain to the common people of America why they should separate

from Britain for good.

Paine was the right person at the right time to help raise public opinion. American scholar

Robert Ferguson explains that Paine understood better than anyone in America that style and

thought "can dictate the difficult transition from loyalty to rebellion. Before Paine, the

language of political sages was the language of men. Educated and civilized for publication

and script “ Their anger dissipated through private letters and magazines, then Paine came

and cursed Britain as an "open enemy" and denounced George III as the "Royal Brute of

England" and the reconciliation as "really" ridiculous " and "A delusional dream" to

condemn. To think otherwise, he charged, was "absurd," "undisciplined," and "disgustingly

disgusting." As Paine wrote to The Virgin Landon with dismay, he implied that anyone who

disagreed with him "is nothing more and nothing less than a coward and a boy who, in the

clearest sense, is a cursed villain. Paine knew what he was doing: the pen was his weapon and
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the words his ammunition. All with ideas while being persuaded by raw emotions. "The point

to remember," writes Ferguson. It's that Paine's natural and deliberate audience is the

American mob, and he uses anger, the crowd's natural emotion, to allow the more active

groups to do so in general. "Unite the republican citizenry”

Paine started his pamphlet with the general consideration of the issues of governmental rule

and religion and then proceeded to the more detailed and exquisite argumentation. At the

beginning of the essay, he encouraged a reader to reflect on the issue what is right and what is

wrong in order to prepare him for the complicated information that concerns the colonial rule.

It is important to mention that Paine did not only state the benefits of independence but also

strived to persuade the audience that the relationships with the British Empire were disastrous

for the future of the United States: “Why is it that we hesitate? From Britain we can expect

nothing but ruin. If she is admitted to the government of America again, this continent will

not be worth living in” (Paine, 2008). This statement is the most impressive because it is

oriented on the long-term perspective. Add to this, the structure of the argument is more than

persuasive because it does not strive to impose the author`s point of view. It encourages a

reader to reflect on two possible manners of behaviour: what results will come if the

American population remains quiet about the issue of independence and what will happen if

the society dares to struggle.

Paine’s “Common sense” is divided into four sections in which he clearly explains reasons

why it is in the best interest of America to separate from Britain. He first begins by criticizing

the British rule and its constitution as very unfair and cruel to the common people. He

exploits the huge difference between King, the peers and the people. The rule of the people is

purely by hereditary means and people have nothing to decide which leaves them with

nothing but a state of exploitation by the ruling class.

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The second reason the United States had to renounce British rule is explained in the second

section, the principles of succession in the political environment of Great Britain and its

monarchical rule. Paine asks many people why they want to include the monarchy in their

government to govern. He also attacked and defamed a person who supported the ruling

monarchy. He also made it clear to the American people that, ultimately, everything will be

in the hands of the monarch, regardless of the government that governs and the Congress that

passes the laws. Until the monarch approves the laws, they are not applicable.

Paine keeps in touch with Americans about the third motivation behind why they should

surrender British standard in the third segment of the pamphlet. In this segment of the article

he discussed the present status of the United States. He likewise examined the threats

between the American provinces and the English government and reasoned that the United

States needs freedom and that this is the main most ideal approach to do it. He additionally

proposed a letter in this segment in which in any event five delegates from each region of the

American states are focused on the Continental Conference and at that gathering individuals

would meet and compose the Constitution.

In conclusion, Thomas Paine manages to uses a style in his book “common sense” which is

formal, persuasive yet very respectful towards its audience in an old English touch which is

very successful in symbolizing what Paine was trying to accomplish. He tries to make people

realise what was actually happening by using their common sense to fight for independence,

while also trying to avoid a situation where the audience do what he wants.
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Works cited.

Franklin, Benjamin. "Remarks concerning the Savages of North America." The New London

magazine 2.16 (1786): 452-455.

Paine, T.”Common Sense “(1st ed.). Adelaide: The University of Adelaide Library. (2008).