Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Tom Paine's Common Sense Response 1
In Tom Paine's "Common Sense" he defends the revolution or American claiming "The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth" (161). He then goes on to say that "For in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries law ought to be King" (166). In considering his attitudes and the enlightenment philosophy we have read, discuss the significance of such statements and why they would be so radical.
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By saying "The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth," he's trying to rally the country on his side. He wants the colonists to believe that rebelling against Britain is the right thing to do, maybe the most important task any of them could ever accomplish. Its showing just how important it is to leave the crown and form their own independent society.
The second quote where he refers to freedom as king of law and monarchy as the controller of law shows that the colonists have to control over their government. This idea is used to try to help turn colonists from loyalists to rebels. In a monarchy, the king decides the law. He has the ability to institute anything he seems as acceptable, regardless of whom is mau effect. In a free nation, the people choose their laws. They make the decisions that they want to live by. They have control over their lives
In the first quote, I agree with what nick said about how it shows that America is rebelling and trying to free themselves of British rule. Paine makes this very clear when he states "the first twenty years of our lives is to become a precedent for the next twenty(Paine, 162). This line is basically saying that America has been under British control for the last twenty years and now it's time for it to take what they have learned and become independent and make decisions on their own.
In the second quote, he is trying to state that in countries that have monarchies, they are constantly under control and have to abide by the decisions that the monarch makes for them. In the second part of the quote, "so in free countries law ought to be king," it is implying that America does not need a monarch to make choices for them as a whole. The oppurtunity for the country to make their own rational decisions on issues is just as powerful as a monarch and his decisions.
In the first quote, Paine tries to convince the country that what he says is true and that people should consider his viewpoint. He feels really strongly that America should rebel against Britain and he is trying to convince the Americans to do so. He feels that if they could accomplish this, they could gain the freedoms that they came seeking from the beginning. He believes that by splitting away from British rule, they can create a country based on their own beliefs and needs instead of always feeding into someone else's.
In the second quote, he is trying to show that the colonists have the means to establish their own government suiting their own needs. Paine convinces the people of this by showing how monarchial rule is against Christianity and against the needs of their country at the time. As a democracy, the country would be able to include the needs of the people by allowing the people of the country to have a voice. They could establish laws relevent to the problems in their country instead of in England and they would have the ability to amend these laws as the country modernizes at its own pace and not the pace of another country.
In Paine's first quote, he emphasizes his belief that it was the prime time to go against the British because everything was working in the way of the colonists. "Now is the seed-time of continental union, faith and honor" (Paine, 161). This addresses the idea that they have a perfect chance to flee from Britian's rule. He explains that since they have been under Britian for so long, they now have enough of a precedent to base their new governmental system off because they have seen what does work, and what does not. Paine states that it is a perfect time for the colonists to make a move, and he speaks on how foolish it would be to pass up the opportunity. This is such a radical statement because at the time it was so rebellios, and probably thought to be insane that someone would speak in such a way about decisions such as those.
In the second quote, Paine explains his anarchal/democratic views of government by explaining that a government should be ruled by the colonists. This is because he believes in natural rights, and that people should have rules they feel necessary to follow, which would make sense, and make the laws much easier to abide by. This idea made sense logically, but it was probably thought to be rediculous because it was so different than the way Britian ran things. The colonists at the time typically went "with the flow" and such change and rebellion would deffinately stir controversy and arise many questions dirrected to Paine's motives.
"The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth" (161) In realation to the revolution taking place would have signified that the revolutionists are doing the right thing in their fight for freedom. Also that Monarchs are wrong and power shouldn't be placed in one person because all people are corrupt which is why government is needed to beggin with.
"For in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries law ought to be King" (166) I think this quote means that the king shouldn't make the laws he should follow them which means that he (like evryone else) should listen to the laws that have been set because if it is the right government then they are put in place for the better of the people.
Reid Keener
Thomas Paine’s statement about the American Revolution, that "The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth," is certainly a bold statement to make. Only a person who believed wholeheartedly in the rationale behind such ‘a cause’ would make such a proclamation. And if you were writing political propaganda, this kind of person is exactly the one that you would want to portray. A person can only be convinced of another’s opinion if that other person’s argument is sincere.
Thomas Paine makes another bold statement when he says, "For in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries law ought to be King”. He is detailing the fact that a country free from monarchy requires a lot of work and involvement to function. If people are to be trusted with active political involvement, then they must put some effort into understanding the government. This means that affairs of state must always be taken into consideration. Because there is not some political identity separate from the social one, the government can not be trusted to be run by just one person, and takes the participation of all.
"The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth"
When Paine writes this he is expressing how , at the time, America felt anxiety with breaking away from Britain, and they weren't totally sure of the idea. America was in doubt that this would be a good thing. Paine wants to comfort his fellow Americans during the break away.
"For in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries law ought to be King"
When Paine says this , he is , possibly unknowingly, referring to the Rule of Law which is the idea that nobody is above the law. Paine believes that there should be only rule by people , not by kings.
Paines idea's make sense in this day,because in general, most people this age believe in equality and standing up for what they desire or believe in, but back then people did not have sense of equality and would never had openly shared their opinions, in fear of being locked away or killed.
From the first quote “The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth”. He is looking to get the American people excited about the cause by encouraging them that this cause is more than worthy because it is fighting for an entire continent and will affect this culture until the end of time. This point in time has arisen a need for a new political philosophy. The next twenty years will set a precedent for the rest of her lives. If Britain had not had control of America in it’s growing years it would have flourished much more. This parent country has stymied the growth of the colonies, and they should separate.
The second quotes is saying that the government is the people’s natural right, and it can be decided better and much more effectively and deliberately then any King. He believes the people should close off tyranny and take control. God has given the people these ideas and they should rise above the oppression.
“The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth.” T Pain is very radical in saying this statement partly because he is very emphatic in using this contentious thought. This statement is full of controversy as many are opposed to it. Many people were uneasy with the thought of being on their own in the wilderness of the New World. The separation
from Britain, pushed from the revolution, brought this thought of independence to mind.
As for the second quote, it is basically saying that the rule of law is king, and that’s it. It’s not up to an individual.
"The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth," was a very crucial cause to Paine, so therefore he said that the fight against monarchy was one of the most important. Paine didn't agree with one person having sole power, like a King would. He believed that the citizens should be able to make their own laws to live by, and that they should have complete control over their lives.
In the second quote, Paine is putting down the role of king's in society. He thinks that they,as well as anyone, should not be exempt from the rules that are set in place. This is why this one particular cause is so significant, because monarchy needs to come to an end, and the people need to rise above.
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