The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind.
The situation becomes intense but he explains his point clearly. Through his words he attempts to establish that the colonists belong to a larger collective than their individual selves. Through his words he transforms the American Revolution into a worldwide fight for human rights although this vision did not fully apply to all residents of the colonies.
a long habit of not thinking a thing WRONG, gives it a superficial appearance of being RIGHT, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.
The line stood out to me because Paine directly challenges people who accept traditions without ever questioning their origins. The way people accept current rules and social norms because they have always existed aligns with the situation he describes.
Freedom hath been hunted round the globe. Asia, and Africa, have long expelled her
Paine presents America as a sanctuary which protects liberty. The concept he presents in this work later evolved into on of the most common sayings “land of the free.” The ideas he presents in this work match current discussions about refugees and democratic societies.
MANKIND being originally equals in the order of creation, the equality could only be destroyed by some subsequent circumstance
Paine says everyone is created equal, but this makes me wonder how does this align with the reality that slavery still existed in the colonies? What voices are missing or ignored in this argument for equality?
Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not YET sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor
This is Paine saying basically he knows that not everyone will be in his favor. Its not a normal thing for the people in this era and hes being different from the rest.
As a long and violent abuse of power, is generally the Means of calling the right of it in question (and in Matters too which might never have been thought of, had not the Sufferers been aggravated into the inquiry) and as the King of England hath undertaken in his OWN RIGHT, to support the Parliament in what he calls THEIRS, and as the good people of this country are grievously oppressed by the combination, they have an undoubted privilege to inquire into the pretensions of both, and equally to reject the usurpation of either.
Paine explains that power becomes unlawful when it is abused throughout multiple generations. The British rule has caused enough suffering to colonists that they should now doubt its authority. The argument connects how American colonists viewed their rights regarding taxation and representation.
Time makes more converts than reason.
The sentence caught my attention because it indicates that people learn from personal experiences rather than through pure discussions. Paine recognizes that his logical arguments will not convince people until they witness the failures of the current system. Through this statement he demonstrates his awareness of how people naturally resist changes.
Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil…
Paine sounds very egotistical here, makes me wonder what he would thing of modern day government? Would he see our big governing system as a threat or a protection of our rights? Which evil might be the right word for todays modern government.
without a king hath enjoyed more peace for this last century than any of the monarchical governments in Europe.
Paine is saying that the Dutch Republic is proof that a country can survive without a king. This is was also at a time when a lot of people thought that's how people had stability. He is trying to tell them that self governing and independence is worth it and is possible.
the King of England hath undertaken in his OWN RIGHT,
Paine describes the escalating conflicts which eventually resulted in the American Revolution. The King actively supported policies which harmed the colonists after they had already demonstrated their opposition through protests against the Stamp Act and Intolerable Acts.
hereditary succession
This means passing down the power through the bloodline. Sort of like when a king has a son, the next king in going to be the child.