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Thomas Paine Reader
This major collection demonstrates the extent to which Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was an inspiration to the Americans in their struggle for independence, a passionate supporter of the French Revolution and perhaps the outstanding English radical writer of his age. It contains all of Paine's major works including The Rights of Man, his groundbreaking defence of the revolutionary cause in France, Common Sense, which won thousands over to the side of the American rebels, and the first part of The Age of Reason (Part One), a ferocious attack on Christianity. The shorter pieces - on capital punishment, social reform and the abolition of slavery - also confirm the great versatility and power of this master of democratic prose.
546 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 1987
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About the author
Thomas Paine
1,460 books1,810 followersThomas Paine was an English-American political activist, author, political theorist and revolutionary. As the author of two highly influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution, he inspired the Patriots in 1776 to declare independence from Britain. His ideas reflected Enlightenment-era rhetoric of transnational human rights. He has been called "a corset maker by trade, a journalist by profession, and a propagandist by inclination".
Born in Thetford, England, in the county of Norfolk, Paine emigrated to the British American colonies in 1774 with the help of Benjamin Franklin, arriving just in time to participate in the American Revolution. His principal contributions were the powerful, widely read pamphlet Common Sense (1776), the all-time best-selling American book that advocated colonial America's independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, and The American Crisis (1776–83), a pro-revolutionary pamphlet series. Common Sense was so influential that John Adams said, "Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain."
Paine lived in France for most of the 1790s, becoming deeply involved in the French Revolution. He wrote the Rights of Man (1791), in part a defence of the French Revolution against its critics. His attacks on British writer Edmund Burke led to a trial and conviction in absentia in 1792 for the crime of seditious libel. In 1792, despite not being able to speak French, he was elected to the French National Convention. The Girondists regarded him as an ally. Consequently, the Montagnards, especially Robespierre, regarded him as an enemy.
In December 1793, he was arrested and imprisoned in Paris, then released in 1794. He became notorious because of his pamphlet The Age of Reason (1793–94), in which he advocated deism, promoted reason and freethinking, and argued against institutionalized religion in general and Christian doctrine in particular. He also wrote the pamphlet Agrarian Justice (1795), discussing the origins of property, and introduced the concept of a guaranteed minimum income. In 1802, he returned to America where he died on June 8, 1809. Only six people attended his funeral as he had been ostracized for his ridicule of Christianity.
Born in Thetford, England, in the county of Norfolk, Paine emigrated to the British American colonies in 1774 with the help of Benjamin Franklin, arriving just in time to participate in the American Revolution. His principal contributions were the powerful, widely read pamphlet Common Sense (1776), the all-time best-selling American book that advocated colonial America's independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, and The American Crisis (1776–83), a pro-revolutionary pamphlet series. Common Sense was so influential that John Adams said, "Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain."
Paine lived in France for most of the 1790s, becoming deeply involved in the French Revolution. He wrote the Rights of Man (1791), in part a defence of the French Revolution against its critics. His attacks on British writer Edmund Burke led to a trial and conviction in absentia in 1792 for the crime of seditious libel. In 1792, despite not being able to speak French, he was elected to the French National Convention. The Girondists regarded him as an ally. Consequently, the Montagnards, especially Robespierre, regarded him as an enemy.
In December 1793, he was arrested and imprisoned in Paris, then released in 1794. He became notorious because of his pamphlet The Age of Reason (1793–94), in which he advocated deism, promoted reason and freethinking, and argued against institutionalized religion in general and Christian doctrine in particular. He also wrote the pamphlet Agrarian Justice (1795), discussing the origins of property, and introduced the concept of a guaranteed minimum income. In 1802, he returned to America where he died on June 8, 1809. Only six people attended his funeral as he had been ostracized for his ridicule of Christianity.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 21, 2017
I reread chapter 5 Part II in which he throws out lots of ideas, many ahead of his time (in no particular order): universal civilization, mutual benefits of free trade, progressive taxes, war as a political distraction, provisions for the aged, universal education, anti-slavery, wastefulness of colonies and the wars which keep them, demilitarization, and much else. I don't agree with all of these, but his arguments should still be a great inspiration to contemporary leaders. He also gets his hands dirty with some fiscal math which, whether correct or not, is sometimes nice to see instead of pure abstract reasoning.
September 28, 2020
"It contains all of Paine's key works including 'The Rights of Man', his groundbreaking defence of the revolutionary cause in France, 'Common Sense', which won thousands over to the side of the American rebels, and the first part of 'The Age of Reason', a ferocious attack on Christianity."
No, it doesn't. It has some of The American Crisis, some of the Age of Reason, and some of the Rights of Man. The editorial decisions that went into this are incomprehensible. The Library of America has a collected works that doesn't have mere selections chosen by editors with apparently no sense at all.
No, it doesn't. It has some of The American Crisis, some of the Age of Reason, and some of the Rights of Man. The editorial decisions that went into this are incomprehensible. The Library of America has a collected works that doesn't have mere selections chosen by editors with apparently no sense at all.
May 17, 2025
“When we speak of right we ought always to unite with it the idea of duties: rights become duties by reciprocity. The right which I enjoy becomes my duty to guarantee it to another, and he to me; and those who violate the duty justly incur a forfeiture of the right” (pp. 461).
No figure stood so centrally at the confluence of so many profound historical moments as Thomas Paine. Reading his political writings instantly evokes Marx, both in style and method. They were both revolutionaries who dedicated their activity to the pen: political pamphlets, mass education, and responding to critics. Their work directly guided the leaders who fought in revolutions and founded new governments.
Paine is also blunt and systematic in his criticism, interjects occasionally with humour, and keeps it accessible for his audience which was broad even at the time he wrote. He is just as engaging when he’s taking the piss out of Burke as he is when philosophizing about first principles or discussing taxation.
In so many ways, Paine anticipated—no, made possible—Marx’s moves, doing with liberalism what the latter did with communism. Paine saw the old world of feudalism, aristocracy, and monarchy, giving way to liberal democracy and capitalism. And with these, a new world outlook no longer in the hegemonic chokehold of Christianity.
This was Paine’s other major concern, for which his public opinions were scathing:
“Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the Word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it as I detest everything that is cruel.
We scarcely meet with anything, a few phrases excepted, but what deserves either our abhorrence or our contempt, till we come to the miscellaneous parts of the Bible. In the anonymous publications, the Psalms, and the book of Job, more particularly in the latter, we find a great deal of elevated sentiment reverentially expressed of the power and benignity of the Almighty; but they stand on no higher rank than many other compositions on similar subjects, as well before that time as since.
The Proverbs which are said to be Solomon's, though most probably a collection (because they discover a knowledge of life which his situation excluded him from knowing), are an instructive table of ethics. They are inferior in keenness to the proverbs of the Spaniards, and not more wise and economical than those of the American Franklin” (pp. 411).
Paine is beautifully heretical, and I absolutely love it.
Standout works were:
“African Slavery in America” (1775)
“Common Sense” (1776)
“The Rights of Man” (1791)
“The Age of Reason” (Part One, 1794)
“Dissertation on First Principles of Government” (1795)
No figure stood so centrally at the confluence of so many profound historical moments as Thomas Paine. Reading his political writings instantly evokes Marx, both in style and method. They were both revolutionaries who dedicated their activity to the pen: political pamphlets, mass education, and responding to critics. Their work directly guided the leaders who fought in revolutions and founded new governments.
Paine is also blunt and systematic in his criticism, interjects occasionally with humour, and keeps it accessible for his audience which was broad even at the time he wrote. He is just as engaging when he’s taking the piss out of Burke as he is when philosophizing about first principles or discussing taxation.
In so many ways, Paine anticipated—no, made possible—Marx’s moves, doing with liberalism what the latter did with communism. Paine saw the old world of feudalism, aristocracy, and monarchy, giving way to liberal democracy and capitalism. And with these, a new world outlook no longer in the hegemonic chokehold of Christianity.
This was Paine’s other major concern, for which his public opinions were scathing:
“Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the Word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it as I detest everything that is cruel.
We scarcely meet with anything, a few phrases excepted, but what deserves either our abhorrence or our contempt, till we come to the miscellaneous parts of the Bible. In the anonymous publications, the Psalms, and the book of Job, more particularly in the latter, we find a great deal of elevated sentiment reverentially expressed of the power and benignity of the Almighty; but they stand on no higher rank than many other compositions on similar subjects, as well before that time as since.
The Proverbs which are said to be Solomon's, though most probably a collection (because they discover a knowledge of life which his situation excluded him from knowing), are an instructive table of ethics. They are inferior in keenness to the proverbs of the Spaniards, and not more wise and economical than those of the American Franklin” (pp. 411).
Paine is beautifully heretical, and I absolutely love it.
Standout works were:
“African Slavery in America” (1775)
“Common Sense” (1776)
“The Rights of Man” (1791)
“The Age of Reason” (Part One, 1794)
“Dissertation on First Principles of Government” (1795)
November 25, 2011
Very interesting and educational read. The writing is a little wordy and dry at times, but is bearable due to the slight humor throughout the works. Very interesting to read and see first hand how horribly the book is being represented by most political groups in the media. All works are subject to interpretation, however I know first hand of blatant examples of Paine's works being taken out of context to suit whatever party is quoting or ripping of his works. I have a lot more respect and patience with the founding of our nation after reading this. Highly recommend for anyone curious about the start of our country.
August 20, 2008
Perhaps the best classical liberal political writer ever. Rights of Man and Common Sense stand on their own reputations, but there is some very good commentary about money, banking, religion, war and freedom in this collections as well.
December 9, 2011
Thomas Paine was an inspiration to Americans as they struggled for independence, and a supporter of the French Revolution, and obviously a brilliant and talented writer.
December 16, 2020
Difficult reading at times. But such a pivotal writing in its time. Need some familiarity with Edmund Burk and general history of the time to put it all into context.
March 1, 2018
3 1/2 stars
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews