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Rights of Man, Common Sense, and Other Political Writings (Oxford World's Classics)

Rights of Man, Common Sense, and Other Political Writings (Oxford World's Classics)
By Thomas Paine

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`An army of principles will penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot . . . it will march on the horizon of the world and it will conquer.' Thomas Paine was the first international revolutionary. His Common Sense (1776) was the most widely read pamphlet of the American Revolution; his Rights of Man (1791-2) was the most famous defence of the French Revolution and sent out a clarion call for revolution throughout the world. He paid the price for his principles: he was outlawed in Britain, narrowly escaped execution in France, and was villified as an atheist and a Jacobin on his return to America. Paine loathed the unnatural inequalities fostered by the hereditary and monarchical systems. He believed that government must be by and for the people and must limit itself to the protection of their natural rights. But he was not a libertarian: from a commitment to natural rights he generated one of the first blueprints for a welfare state, combining a liberal order of civil rights with egalitarian constraints. This collection brings together Paine's most powerful political writings from the American and French revolutions in the first fully annotated edition of these works.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #179884 in Books
  • Published on: 1998-07-16
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 544 pages

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About the Author
Author of Paine in Past Masters, Mark Philp is Fellow and Tutor in Politics at Oriel College, Oxford.

Customer Reviews

The cornerstone of modern human rights...5
Paine's work and life is the embodiment of human rights - he was exiled from England - fled to USA where he helped with the constitution - he was invited to France to help the new revolutionary constitution of 1789. He is a colossus in modern world history and his value can never be estimated high enough. A remarkable man who desired very simple but unattainable things - decent treatment for all. Paine's Declaration is a must for any student of politics or just anyone who cares about their fellow human beings...