Rights of Men “ Common Sense”Rights of Men “ Common Sense”

► Rights of Man was his Rights of Man was his greatest political work and greatest political work and was certainly the best- was certainly the best- selling radical political tract selling radical political tract in late 18th century England. in late 18th century England.

► Common Sense, which Common Sense, which immediately established his immediately established his reputation as a revolutionary reputation as a revolutionary writer. writer.

► Paine argued rationally that Paine argued rationally that all men had an equal claim to all men had an equal claim to political rights and that political rights and that government must rest on the government must rest on the ultimate sovereignty of the ultimate sovereignty of the people. people.

Thomas PaineThomas Paine

► The radical propagandist and The radical propagandist and voice of the common man. voice of the common man.

► Paine was convinced that the Paine was convinced that the American Revolution was a American Revolution was a crusade for a superior political crusade for a superior political system and that America was system and that America was ultimately unconquerable. ultimately unconquerable.

► His achievements were all His achievements were all with his pen so it is difficult to with his pen so it is difficult to accurately assess his accurately assess his influence. Although he spent influence. Although he spent more than ten years in more than ten years in France, he had very little France, he had very little influence on the course of the influence on the course of the French Revolution French Revolution