Common Sense

Rating:
Summary: more than history
Review: I read the other reviews and while I agree with them, I must add that this book is more than history. I remember reading Paine's critique of the English government being "so exceedingly complex" that when a problem developed, politicians would fight for years deciding whose fault it was. Finally, when they would try to solve the problem, everyone had a different solution. I thought I was reading an editorial from USNews. I was amazed that many problems that incited the colonies to revolt are now present in our new government. Read this as more than great history. Read it as political science, and public commentary.

Rating:
Summary: A Poetic Argument for a Call to Arms
Review: In "Common Sense", Thomas Paine lays out his argument as to why the United States of America should, nay, MUST, declare its independence from Britain. In the traditional vein of revlutionary writers, Paine's pamphlet is a beautiful example of the English language at its most poetic. He states the need for independence best when he says, "The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'TIS TIME TO PART."
This pamphlet is a must read for anyone interested in American history. Most everyone can recall their US History textbooks mentioning "Common Sense". This pamphlet was first published in 1775 and inspired our Founding Fathers, especially Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Additionally, anyone who is interested in reading about the history of revolutions in general would do well to read this amazing argument.

Rating:
Summary: A Poetic Argument for a Call to Arms
Review: In "Common Sense", Thomas Paine lays out his argument as to why the United States of America should, nay, MUST, declare its independence from Britain. In the traditional vein of revlutionary writers, Paine's pamphlet is a beautiful example of the English language at its most poetic. He states the need for independence best when he says, "The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'TIS TIME TO PART."
This pamphlet is a must read for anyone interested in American history. Most everyone can recall their US History textbooks mentioning "Common Sense". This pamphlet was first published in 1775 and inspired our Founding Fathers, especially Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. Additionally, anyone who is interested in reading about the history of revolutions in general would do well to read this amazing argument.

Rating:
Summary: Another Gem From Thomas Paine
Review: In his usual clarity and tact, Paine makes a rational and reasoned case for independence. It is said that Common Sense was THE catalyst for uniting the colonies to fight against Great Britain. After reading it, I can understand why. A short but very powerful book. Definitely worth the read.

Rating:
Summary: wrong book quote
Review: In the paragraph about this edition of Thomas Paine's Common Sense, it said that, "These are the times that try men's souls," are the opening words of Thomas Paine's Common Sense.

This is incorrect. "These are the times that try men's souls," are the opening words of Paine's first Crisis paper.

Please correct this error.

Rating:
Summary: The cornerstone of modern egalitarianism
Review: It's worth remembering that Tom Paine on arriving in the US from Lewes, Sussex, thought that the arguments between the colonies and the 'mother country' would be a matter of legal dispute and settlement. Experience made him take a more radical view and its easy to imagine how he arrived at it and discovered the reality of London's unjust treatment of the American colonies. He wasn't the first Englishman to propose American independence -- within the framework of a great commonwealth of equals -- and Common Sense, it should be remembered, sold as well in England as it did in America. The British government, ironically, probably had more support amongst Tory colonists than it did at home. What makes Common Sense so important today and Tom Paine such a modern political hero, speaking to the modern democrat, is that he was essentially an internationalist whose writing addressed not just the nonsense of hereditary monarchs -- but the nonsense of any kind of ruling dynasty (Windsors, Kennedys or Bushes) -- and understood that those who spoke for 'the people' were as guilty of the same arrogance of monarchs, aristocrats and other people of privilege. He could smell the abuse of power in any form -- English, American or French. Tom Paine's radicalism has its roots thoroughly in English radicalism which flourished in Lewes, the town where he first began to write and from which he first sought justice (for the excisemen, of whom he was one!. Lewes withstood the royalists and has a strong anti-monarchist,dissenting, anti-Catholic tradition to this day, having elected its own officials and defied the monarchy (sometimes successfully) -- it was people like this in their thousands who supported the American revolutionaries. Tom Paine's views were not so difference from those of the Levellers, Cromwell's left wing which he put down as ruthlessly as he put down Catholic sympathizers. Disappointed Levellers emigrated to America... To confuse the cause of liberty with the cause of nationalism, which some of the reviewers of Common Sense seem to do, is to my mind a great mistake. Paine, it should be remembered, was too sensible for George III, too sensible for George Washington and too sensible for the French Assembly (who came close to killing him) -- but he was a friend of Franklin and of William Blake and we all know how Jefferson was beholden to him. Some of the best minds and creators of his day recognised in him a fellow spirit. Paine spoke for the international community -- for the people of all countries, races and religions whose souls cry out for universal justice and liberty. It is institutionalised Authority we have to address -- whether it be disguised as democratic government or as the divine right of kings -- the powerful will find ways of rationalising why they should keep their power, even when they have neither earned it nor deserve it. Look to those who claim Authority over us -- whether they be church, state, republican or monarch -- and judge them by how they represent our public interests, not by what they call themselves or are called by others. That's Paine's message for me, anyway -- just as relevant today as it ever was. Sadly American political rhetoric resonates with patriarchal and authoritarian language far more than, say French or British political rhetoric, and it's worth remembering that even in his own lifetime (which is perhaps why he isn't as honored as he should be) he was already criticizing the corruption of US power. And in the end we also have to look at the practical situation -- which nations actually enjoy the most actual liberty ? We all know that the US isn't at the top of the list. A recent survey gave it to France first and then to Canada, with the UK ironically above the US. Common sense reminds us that Thoreau, who also had some very modern ideas, was as castigated by respectable Americans as thoroughly as they castigated Paine and that some of the best modern American thinkers have found more fertile ground for their ideas in Germany, France and England -- whether it be Millett's ground-breaking Sexual Politics or Nader's and Chomsky's writings on the modern consumer society. Emily's List hasn't gotten too many women into Congress -- but the Brits borrowed the idea and now have a third of their parliament made up of women. Same with the Greens in Germany and France whose ideas are inspired by the likes of Nader here but who have gained real power in their own countries. The irony of Common Sense seems to be that, like so much good thinking, it was thought of in America but became a reality somewhere else. Still, it seems to be appealing to a new generation of Americans in the way it appealed to the first generation, so maybe we'll see a few more of Paine's ideas made concrete here in the coming years! This is the key book for anyone who believes that common justice is common sense -- about the best deal for a buck you can get on the planet!

Rating:
Summary: the reasons we became
Review: Some of the things in society are discouraging. At that time there were discouraging things too. The diffence between now and then is that there were people like Thomas Paine who stood up and did something about it. An extremely inspiring manefesto.

Rating:
Summary: poppycock
Review: such tiffle and piffle i have never heard before, a veritable vomitorium of masticated neo-germanic malthusian whoreship, i find it little or less of consequence and wonder with open hands how such faffle and fluff could make it into that great pantheon of printed matter that is ink-embossed papyrus binded information modules? has there been a single consequence arising from, by, to or beyond and away inside of this miserable tissue of muddy rough booze tongued "spice and pancakes" edifice of madness? i think the answer stands for itself, does it not?

Rating:
Summary: American political thought at its best
Review: The effect of Paine's monumental work Common Sense on the spirit of the American Revolution can never be measured. This work, originally a pamphlet, inspired and gave courage to the cause of independence, and presented the case for separation from Britain in such a way that it was difficult not to see his point. Paine was a visionary because he recognized that a union between Britain and America could never continue, and that reconciliation (after the conflicts in Boston and other places) would never be possible. This book was read and admired by Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and many other founding fathers, and its precepts did not go unnoticed by these great men.

Today, Paine's thinking is still relevant. His basic thesis that there is a difference between society and government still rings true today. As Paine points out, a society enriches our virtues, but government must restrain our vices. Paine's theory (at the beginning of the work) on the necessity of government, and his idea that the government is best which protects its people at the least possible cost to personal liberty, is just as interesting and inspiring today as it was 225 years ago. This pamphlet is applicable today as well as then because Paine believed that men should be good, and that this was the ultimate principal of successful government. "Of more worth is one honest man to society," he says, "and in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians that ever lived." The world would be a better place if we all had a little Common Sense.

Rating:
Summary: American political thought at its best
Review: The effect of Paine's monumental work Common Sense on the spirit of the American Revolution can never be measured. This work, originally a pamphlet, inspired and gave courage to the cause of independence, and presented the case for separation from Britain in such a way that it was difficult not to see his point. Paine was a visionary because he recognized that a union between Britain and America could never continue, and that reconciliation (after the conflicts in Boston and other places) would never be possible. This book was read and admired by Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and many other founding fathers, and its precepts did not go unnoticed by these great men.

Today, Paine's thinking is still relevant. His basic thesis that there is a difference between society and government still rings true today. As Paine points out, a society enriches our virtues, but government must restrain our vices. Paine's theory (at the beginning of the work) on the necessity of government, and his idea that the government is best which protects its people at the least possible cost to personal liberty, is just as interesting and inspiring today as it was 225 years ago. This pamphlet is applicable today as well as then because Paine believed that men should be good, and that this was the ultimate principal of successful government. "Of more worth is one honest man to society," he says, "and in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians that ever lived." The world would be a better place if we all had a little Common Sense.