Thomas Paine
The firebrand pamphleteer who ignited revolutions on both sides of the Atlantic.
Thomas Paine, born Thomas Pain in Thetford, Norfolk, was an English-born American Founding Father, inventor, political philosopher, and statesman. His influence on revolutionary thought was profound, primarily through his pamphlets *Common Sense* (1776) and *The American Crisis* (1776–1783), which articulated the Patriot case for independence from Great Britain at the start of the American Revolution. Paine advanced Enlightenment-era arguments for human rights that shaped revolutionary discourse on both sides of the Atlantic. After immigrating to the British American colonies in 1774 with assistance from Benjamin Franklin, he arrived in time to participate in the Revolution. Virtually every American Patriot read his 47-page pamphlet *Common Sense*, which galvanized the call for independence. He followed this with the pro-independence *American Crisis* series. Returning to Britain in 1787, Paine wrote *Rights of Man* (1791) to counter critics of the French Revolution, particularly Edmund Burke. This work led to his trial and conviction in absentia in England in 1792 for seditious libel. Paine also criticized fiat currency, arguing in his 1786 essay *Dissertations on Government* that paper money was a form of state counterfeiting undermining republican principles. Fearing the spread of the French Revolution, the British government under William Pitt the Younger suppressed radical works; Paine’s advocacy of the people’s right to overthrow their government prompted a writ for his arrest in early 1792. He fled to France in September, where he was quickly elected to the French National Convention despite not speaking French. The Girondins viewed him as an ally, making him a target of the Montagnards, especially Marc-Guillaume Alexis Vadier, who arrested him in December 1793. Paine was imprisoned in Luxembourg Prison in Paris, where he completed the first part of *The Age of Reason*. James Monroe secured his release in November 1794. Paine later became notorious for his Deist writings, his open letter denouncing George Washington, and his pamphlet *Agrarian Justice* (1797), which introduced a concept of guaranteed minimum income funded by an inheritance tax. Upon returning to the U.S. in 1802, he was widely ostracized for his ridicule of Christianity and attacks on leaders. Only six mourners attended his funeral in 1809.
- born
- February 9, 1737 (O.S. January 29, 1736), Thetford, Norfolk, England
- died
- June 8, 1809
- field
- Political philosophy, pamphleteering, invention
- nationality
- English-born American
- known_for
- Common Sense, The American Crisis, Rights of Man, The Age of Reason
Lore & Background
Paine was born in Thetford, Norfolk, to Joseph Pain, a tenant farmer and stay-maker, and Frances (née Cocke) Pain. Joseph followed the Quaker faith and Frances was an Anglican. Paine attended Thetford Grammar School from 1744 to 1749. At age 13 he began an apprenticeship with his father. He married Mary Lambert on September 27, 1759; his business soon collapsed. Mary became pregnant, and after the couple moved to Margate she went into early labour, and both she and their child died. The cause of Mary's death is not specified in the source. Paine later married Elizabeth Ollive on March 26, 1771. He immigrated to the British American colonies in 1774 with the help of Benjamin Franklin. In December 1793, he was arrested and taken to Luxembourg Prison in Paris; the arrest was ordered by the Committee of General Security. James Monroe used his diplomatic connections to get Paine released in November 1794.
Reader's Guide
Paine's key works include Common Sense (1776), The American Crisis (1776–1783), Rights of Man (1791), Dissertations on Government (1786), The Age of Reason (completed in part just before his arrest in 1793), and Agrarian Justice (1797). He advocated Deism, promoted reason and freethought, and argued against religion in general and Christian doctrine. He was convicted in absentia in England in 1792 for seditious libel. After returning to the U.S. in 1802, he was broadly ostracized for his ridicule of Christianity and his attacks on the nation's leaders. Only six mourners attended his funeral.
Did You Know?
- Paine was already using the spelling 'Paine' in 1769 while living in Lewes, Sussex, before emigrating to America.
- He was elected to the French National Convention despite not being able to speak French.
- Paine introduced the concept of a guaranteed minimum income through a one-time inheritance tax in his pamphlet Agrarian Justice (1797).
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"Eloquence may strike the ear, but the language of poverty strikes the heart; the first may charm like music, but the second alarms like a knell." — Thomas Paine "This sacrifice of common sense is the certain badge which distinguishes slavery from freedom; for when men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon." — Thomas Paine "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." — Thomas Paine "Where knowledge is a duty, ignorance is a crime." — Thomas Paine
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