Civil Government does not consist in executions; but in making that provision for the instruction of youth and the support of age, as to exclude , as much as possible, profligacy from the one and despair from the other.
-Thomas Paine, Rights of Man
Category Archives: Thomas Paine in Today’s World
On Greeting a New Year
We have it within our power to begin the world over again.
-Thomas Paine
On the Passing of James Brown and Gerald Ford
“Titles are but nicknames, and every nickname is a title.” As Thomas Paine says, a title is but a nickname and a nickname a title. We remember James Brown and Gerald Ford today. At first glance they seem at opposite ends of the pole – one a President of the United States and the other …
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Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men
“The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.”
-Thomas Paine
On Feeling the Earth Move
“What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.” While sitting down to write this post in the office of my San Francisco home, a slight tremor shook the building. Nothing much, just enough for the beams of this wooden structure to creak and my chair …
On the Legacy of Power
It could have been no difficult thing in the early and solitary ages of the world, while the chief employment of men was that of ruffians to overrun a country and lay it under contributions. Their power being thus established the chief of the band contrived to lose the name of Robber in that of Monarch; and hence the origin of Monarchy and Kings.
-Thomas Paine, Rights of Man
On Being a Real Man
The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection
On Language and Liberty
The American constitutions were to liberty, what a grammar is to language: they define its parts of speech and practically construct them into syntax.
-Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man
On Why Being Mean is Stupid
There is something in meanness which excites a species of resentment that never subsides, and something in cruelty which stirs up the heart to the highest agony of human hatred…
-Thomas Paine, The Crisis
On War – Good God Ya’ All
When we take a survey of mankind we cannot help cursing the wretch, who, to the unavoidable misfortunes of nature shall wilfully add the clamities of war. One would think there were evils enough in the world without studying to increase them, and that life is sufficiently short without shaking the sand that measures it.
-Thomas Paine, The Crises