An academic article by Mark A. Lause published in Labor History (1986) that connects Paine’s radical ideas, particularly his critiques of aristocracy and calls for common-sense republicanism, to the emerging working-class consciousness and early labor movements in NYC around the turn of the 19th century, showing how his “infidel” reputation masked deep support for workers’ rights and democratic ideals among artisans and laborers.
Mark A. Lause, The “Unwashed Infidelity”: Thomas Paine and Early New York City Labor History [PDF]
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