Far from it. Paine had several occupations, most notably as an excise officer. However his abilities were used far beyond that position. For example, he was the only Councilman to serve in Lewes, England (an important commerce and redistribution center) for 6 straight years. This required political connections with the Whigs who controlled that area […]
Was Thomas Paine a “failure” before coming to America? Read Post »
If by "socialist" we mean a state-supported welfare system to ensure the poor and working poor lead comfortable lives, then yes. Paine supported a social welfare state. If by "socialist" we mean that wealth is produced by the working classes (in his day the farmers and the mechanics) and that they should reap the benefits
Yes. He was born in England, emigrated to the American colonies and became a citizen (took an oath to the country as an officer of the Army, and served in its government), and then was adopted by France with an honorary citizenship as well. For complete details see Thomas Paine's Citizenship Record under Articles &
No. Although many have tried to make that case (including an ex-President of this Association, William van der Weyde), Paine believed the government's role should be for promoting the general happiness and well-being of the people. In Agrarian Justice and Rights of Man he outlined the principles that would become the basis of the welfare
Since Paine believed that all organized religion was a tool to monopolize power and profit and to oppress the people, his belief in the separation of church and state was vehement. Witnessing first hand England's use of the church to wield the king's power, he learned early on to keep religion out of government and
What is Paine‘s position on the separation of church and state? Read Post »
Like the "disheveled drunk" slander, this is not supported by fact. This slander was part of the propaganda to destroy his reputation because his enemies could not destroy the content and influence of his writings. The farm he owned in New Rochelle was substantial, and he rented it out for cultivation. The money in the
Paine was the only leading Founder who served in both the military and the government during the Revolution. But more than that, it was Paine's Common Sense that transformed a tax rebellion into a social and political revolution. Paine provided the ideology of the American Revolution: an end to monarchy, establish a system of representative
What was Paine’s role in the American Revolution? Read Post »
The following quotes are NOT from Thomas Paine: "Lead, follow, or get out of the way." This quote does not exist in the Paine corpus, and seems to have its orign in the 20th century. "Reputation is what other people think of us. Character is what God knows of us." This quote is from a
Paine played a similar role in the French Revolution to that in the American Revolution. His Common Sense was translated into French and was widely read, which greatly spurred on the forces against monarchy and for democracy. He wrote Rights of Man in defense of the French Revolution against the attacks of England, and he
Bordentown is the only place in the world where Paine bought property. He was given a farm in New Rochelle, NY by the State Assembly, but never chose a place to buy outside of Bordentown. The house he actually bought, along with a piece of land across Crosswicks Creek, was on Church St. W. It
Paine was a staunch abolitionist despite the fact that he seldom wrote on the subject. The biographies on Paine are in error when they attribute “African Slavery in America” and “A Serious Thought” to Paine, and Paine was not a founding member of the first abolitionist organization established in Philadelphia in 1775. However Paine always
Paine was trained at an early age to follow his father's trade as a staymaker. The first biography of Paine by Oldys (who was paid by an English Lord to slander Paine) characterized Paine as "corset-maker" to deride him. This is one of the many slanders spread to this day to discredit him. Paine trained
