Thomas Paine's Common Sense

Thomas Paine (1737-1809) set the standard of what an "American" is. He was a revolutionary and a rabble-rouser by many definitions, and a masterful and meaningful writer who, through prose, expressed powerful and persuasive ideas. This prophetic voice is especially present in his work Common Sense. Paine wrote it when the political fight between the American colonists and the British Parliament was in full flare. War had yet become tantamount to destruction and there were citizens of the colonies still in limbo as to their loyalties. Common Sense gave its readers an ultimatum- either they were a Patriot or Tory. By using powerful prose, clever tones, and general appeal Thomas Paine succeeded in drawing a line for American colonists and forcing them to chose the side of liberty or tyranny.

The voice of democracy was first heard in 1776 when Common Sense appeared. It cost three shillings and sold over 100,000 copies that year. Paine believed any government must be based on the consent of the governed and England's monarchy lacked this disinterest. Revolutionaries in the colonies wanted to be free from Great Britain and they believed a break from their “mother” country was not only beneficial, but just. Loyalists, however, did not want rebellion for many reasons one of which included powerful and beneficial ties to England. Paine did not see England’s interference in colonial matter as advantageous. The challenge lay in convincing the masses that disloyalty may not ever be redeeming, but may sometimes be necessary. To emphasize the destructive influence of Britain, Paine compares the mass emigration from England as fleeing from a monster not “from the tender embraces of [a] mother.” Throughout Common Sense Paine uses the image of mother (England) and child (America). By doing so Paine effectively portrays an image for the reader. One can almost see England sending America of on her way as a mother would send a child of to the first day of school. This comparison emphasizes that America can’t stay a baby to England forever. Paine argues that it is time for America to grow up and take responsibility for herself instead of relying on mother for everything. He claims England is not a very good parent for a only a monster would devour their young as England has devoured the American colonies through unfair treatment and taxation. When asking his audience if England’s tyranny will ever change, Paine asks, “Can ye give to prostitution its former innocence?” Through concise imagery and powerful prose Paine makes a convincing point and effectively stirs mind of his audience toward an unfavorable perception of England.

Paine paints the feelings of the people into a seemingly objective picture. Common Sense opens with Paine disguising his rebellious stance stating, “in the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense.” This tactic does one of two things to the reader; 1) the reader takes Paine’s words at face value and does not suspect any bias, just “simple facts” 2) the reader will pause and wonder why Paine begins this way if the facts are so “simple.” Either way Paine has caused the reader to become suspicious of the motivation behind such a tactic. The reader is forced to agree with Paine because any other interpretation would lack “common sense.” Clever wording and use of tone manipulated rebellious ideas into accepted truth.

Paine’s purpose in writing Common Sense was to stir those colonists who were “fence sitters”, those who really weren’t for or against Great Britain in the years and months preceding the Revolutionary War. This piece was also a shot at the Tories who supported Britain’s interests. Paine gives the reader a number of choices as to what type of man he is if he chooses to disagree; an interested man who “[is] not to be trusted”; a weak man “who cannot see”; a prejudiced man “who will not see”; a moderate man “who think[s] better of the European world than it deserves.” Given such unattractive descriptions, many colonists favored the patriotic view of Paine. His writing cleverly equated choosing to be a good man with choosing independence.

Thomas Paine was an advocate of constitutional democracy. In Common Sense he uses words such as “natural” and “right” to describe a “government of [America’s] own”, a republic for the people. Paine is so confident that his ideas for America are correct that he challenges the reader to “show a single advantage that this continent can reap by being connected with Great Britain.” This makes the reader think if there actually is any advantage that would benefit the whole country, not just an individual. A challenge of group gain over personal gain effectively appeals to the upper class for it would make them seem selfish if they maintain a relationship that is only in their interest. Through rhetorical device, Paine again forces the reader to choose between two interests- the self (Tory) and the whole (Patriot).

Common Sense is Paine’s clever way of manipulating those colonists in limbo to pick the side of liberty. Paine leaves no room for opposition for to oppose would be to lack “common sense.” The future of America was of great interest to Paine and he fought with prose to stir the hearts of her sons and daughters. Paine’s optimism at the potential greatness of America was pure, but he feared that influences from negative sources such as England could culminate in her downfall. In a 1795 letter to George Washington Paine states:

“A thousand years hence, perhaps in less, America may be what Europe now is. The innocence of her character, that won the hearts of all nations in her favor, may sound like a romance and her inimitable virtue as if it had never been. The ruin of that liberty which thousands bled for or struggled to obtain may just furnish materials for a village tale or extort a sigh from rustic sensibility..."