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Common Sense: Modern, Updated English Translation
Common Sense by Thomas Paine is one of the most influential works in American history, a passionate and eloquent call for independence that forever changed the course of a nation. First published in 1776, this groundbreaking pamphlet was written to inspire the American colonists to break free from British rule and establish a government based on the principles of liberty, equality, and self-governance.
We have updated this timeless work into modern, updated English so you can understand exactly what Thomas Paine wrote hundreds of years ago!
Using clear, straightforward language, Paine dismantles the arguments for monarchy and colonial subjugation, presenting a compelling case for why independence was not only necessary but inevitable. His words resonated deeply with ordinary people, uniting them under the cause of freedom and empowering them to envision a new society.
Common Sense is more than just a historical document—it is a timeless work of political philosophy that speaks to the universal struggle for justice and human rights. Its themes of self-determination, the dangers of tyranny, and the power of collective action remain as relevant today as they were in the 18th century.
Whether you are a student of history, a lover of political thought, or simply someone inspired by the fight for freedom, Common Sense is a must-read. This enduring classic not only shaped the birth of a nation but continues to inspire movements for justice and equality around the world.
About Thomas PaineThomas Paine (1737–1809) was a visionary thinker, revolutionary writer, and one of the most influential figures in the founding of the United States. Born in England, Paine emigrated to America in 1774, where his writing became a powerful force in rallying support for the cause of independence. His works, including Common Sense, The American Crisis, Rights of Man, and The Age of Reason, championed democracy, human rights, and freedom from oppression.
A tireless advocate for justice, Paine’s ideas transcended borders and inspired revolutions in both America and France. Despite facing criticism and hardship during his lifetime, his legacy endures as a beacon of courage, reason, and unwavering commitment to liberty. Paine’s work remains essential reading for those who seek to understand the principles of democracy and the enduring fight for human dignity.
We have updated this timeless work into modern, updated English so you can understand exactly what Thomas Paine wrote hundreds of years ago!
Using clear, straightforward language, Paine dismantles the arguments for monarchy and colonial subjugation, presenting a compelling case for why independence was not only necessary but inevitable. His words resonated deeply with ordinary people, uniting them under the cause of freedom and empowering them to envision a new society.
Common Sense is more than just a historical document—it is a timeless work of political philosophy that speaks to the universal struggle for justice and human rights. Its themes of self-determination, the dangers of tyranny, and the power of collective action remain as relevant today as they were in the 18th century.
Whether you are a student of history, a lover of political thought, or simply someone inspired by the fight for freedom, Common Sense is a must-read. This enduring classic not only shaped the birth of a nation but continues to inspire movements for justice and equality around the world.
About Thomas PaineThomas Paine (1737–1809) was a visionary thinker, revolutionary writer, and one of the most influential figures in the founding of the United States. Born in England, Paine emigrated to America in 1774, where his writing became a powerful force in rallying support for the cause of independence. His works, including Common Sense, The American Crisis, Rights of Man, and The Age of Reason, championed democracy, human rights, and freedom from oppression.
A tireless advocate for justice, Paine’s ideas transcended borders and inspired revolutions in both America and France. Despite facing criticism and hardship during his lifetime, his legacy endures as a beacon of courage, reason, and unwavering commitment to liberty. Paine’s work remains essential reading for those who seek to understand the principles of democracy and the enduring fight for human dignity.
58 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 30, 2024
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About the author
Thomas Paine
1,497 books1,851 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 of 1 review
January 31, 2026
4.5 stars
Exactly 250 years ago today, on January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine anonymously published his “Common Sense,” where he lays out his arguments for the colonies to seek independence from England. This seems like a good place to begin the reading I plan to do this year on the American Revolution as in America we celebrate our 250th anniversary, which I just learned is also called a semiquincentennial.
Paine draws on Biblical references well as distant and recent history to defend his positions. He begins by arguing that monarchies and hereditary succession have no basis in reason or nature and ultimately result in incompetence, corruption and violence. He next makes the case that there is no better time for action than right now for the sake of future generations. For those who say that England has kept the colonies safe, Paine states that England’s priorities were economics and trade, not the safety of the colonies, and that the same tyrannies that forced the first emigrants to leave are still present today. Further, he feels that if there ever was a time for reconciliation with England, that time came to an end with the slaughter at Bunker Hill on April 19, 1775.
The ideas that Paine sets forth in this brief but powerful writing are foundational and I can see how they became a rallying cry for those who favored independence as well as logical persuasion for those on the fence. I really enjoyed reading this “modern, updated translation”, but I still think I need to read the original in Paine’s own words.
Exactly 250 years ago today, on January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine anonymously published his “Common Sense,” where he lays out his arguments for the colonies to seek independence from England. This seems like a good place to begin the reading I plan to do this year on the American Revolution as in America we celebrate our 250th anniversary, which I just learned is also called a semiquincentennial.
Paine draws on Biblical references well as distant and recent history to defend his positions. He begins by arguing that monarchies and hereditary succession have no basis in reason or nature and ultimately result in incompetence, corruption and violence. He next makes the case that there is no better time for action than right now for the sake of future generations. For those who say that England has kept the colonies safe, Paine states that England’s priorities were economics and trade, not the safety of the colonies, and that the same tyrannies that forced the first emigrants to leave are still present today. Further, he feels that if there ever was a time for reconciliation with England, that time came to an end with the slaughter at Bunker Hill on April 19, 1775.
The ideas that Paine sets forth in this brief but powerful writing are foundational and I can see how they became a rallying cry for those who favored independence as well as logical persuasion for those on the fence. I really enjoyed reading this “modern, updated translation”, but I still think I need to read the original in Paine’s own words.
Displaying 1 of 1 review