Monday, May 31, 2010

Thomas Paine on silence and guilt.

"Silence becomes a kind of crime when it operates as a cover
or an encouragement to the guilty." -- Thomas Paine, Pennsylvania Packet, January 23, 1779.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Thomas Paine on voting rights and representation.

"The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which other rights are protected." Thomas Paine, Dissertation on First Principles of Government, 1795.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Thomas Paine on terror, war and sedition.

"The country, during the time of the former Administration, was kept in continual agitation and alarm; and that no investigation might be made into its conduct, it intrenched itself within a magic circle of terror, and called it a SEDITION LAW.  Violent and mysterious in its measures and arrogant in its manners, it affected to disdain information, and insulted the principles that raised it from obscurity." Thomas Paine, To the Citizens of the United States VI, 1802-1806.

Thomas Paine on poverty.

"Poverty is a thing created by that which is called civilized life. It exists not in the natural state." Thomas Paine, Agrarian Justice, 1796.

Thomas Paine on religion and equal rights.

"Every history of creation, and every traditionary account, whether from the lettered or the unlettered world, however they may vary in their opinion on belief of certain particulars, all agree in establishing one point, the unity of mankind; by which I mean that man is all of one degree, and consequently that all men are born equal, and with equal natural rights." Thomas Paine, Rights of Man, 1792.

Thomas Paine on government and religion

"As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensable duty of government to protect all conscientious professors thereof, and I know of no other business which government has to do therewith." Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Thomas Paine on Commerce

"Commerce diminishes the spirit, both of patriotism and military defense. Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776.

All Thomas Paine all the time.

That's what this blog ...

Thomas Paine Circle, AZ

http://tinyurl.com/29azoub

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Review of Thomas Paine -- A Collection of Unknown Writings, ed. Hazel Burgess, London: Palgrave McMillan, 2010.

The full review as originally published in the Journal of Radical History is found on this blog here:

http://kenburchell.blogspot.com/p/review-of-thomas-paine-collection-of.html

Thomas Paine Exhibit opens in Thetford

A NEW exhibition about Thomas Paine, his life and works, will be launched at the Charles Burrell Museum in Thetford at midday on Saturday, May 15. Link at:

http://tinyurl.com/25j5v3f