Thomas Paine in His Pamphlet

Thomas Paine

In his pamphlet the Common Sense, Thomas Paine critically addresses the political situation involving British colonial rule over soon-to-be proclaimed United States. Paine calls the British King a ruthless tyrant and condemns the very concept of monarchy. Discussing the British Constitution, Paine says it allows double tyranny of monarchy and aristocracy. He also criticizes John Locke' defense of constitutional monarchy. For Paine, all men are created equal and therefore no distinction in reality exists between the monarchs and common folks. He argues that the government is a "necessary evil" and its mandates should be minimized. Most importantly, Paine in the pamphlet calls for American independence, outlining a representative government that is held accountable by the people through Congress and votes. He offers his own constitutional document called Continental Charter as a response to English Magna Carta. For Paine, that would be a rational development of affairs, as the British rule over the colonies is wieldy and even absurd. Those in the colonies sometimes have to wait for a year before the British Parliament could convey its decision across the Atlantic. Finally, Paine argues that if the call for independence would lead to war, the colonies are ready. He insists that Americans could match the military prowess of the Royal Army if they fight wholeheartedly.

King George III: This treasonous and utterly ungrateful attitude expressed by the person named Thomas Paine is a crime and a grave sin against her Majesty, the Kingdom of England. This person does not understand that England has been especially kind with the colonies and the people enjoying the benefits of England's generosity across the Atlantic must be ashamed to have an ingrate such as this. Without England, the colonies would be another wilderness inhabited either by savages of the land or criminals who escaped from Europe -- or a combination of both. People in the colonies owe England everything they owe. This person named Paine could not even come out of a charter for his imaginary independent America without borrowing from the English Magna Carta. The colonies are part of the British nation and we have been treating the colony like the mother country. And if the traitors like Paine and others like him decide to rebel, we will have no choice but to use our military might to pacify the colony and bring it under control.