Summary

Common Sense begins with a discussion of the merits of government. Paine writes that although it has many flaws, government is a necessary evil because it restricts man's vices. If government is all-inclusive, it can help to unite and regulate the natural impulses of man. This type of democratic government is far superior to the English example of hereditary monarchy. Although monarchy was quite effective in the Middle Ages, Paine argues that it now is out of date, and has resulted in the "base remains of two ancient tyrranies" (9): monarchical tyranny of the king and aristocratic tyranny of the peers. In addition to these two problems, Paine also objects stongly the assumption of monarchical infallibility.

Paine argues that monarchy is such a poor system because of the arbitrariness of hereditary succession. As a result of this system, he writes, governors are often ignorant of the world and either very young or very old. Additionally, neither the governors nor the governed have any say in who will rule. Paine also points out that there is no guarantee that the offspring of a king are better fit to rule than the average man and that it has often been the case that English kings have ruled much more poorly than another man could. This is because

"Men who look upon themselves born to reign, and others to obey, soon grow insolent; selected from the rest of mankind their minds are early poisoned by importance: and the world they act in differs so materially from the world at large, that they have but little opportunity of knowing its true interests, and when they succeed to the government are frequently the most ignorant and unfit of any throughout the dominions" (18).

Paine then moves from a commentary on monarchy to a discussion of the present situation in America. He argues that America should seek independence from Britain not only to escape the scourge of monarchy, but also because Americans in no way gain from being English subjects. The instability and strife created by the colonial system only hurts future prospects and prevents America from achieving its potential. He then proposes a democratic system of government for the new American nation because "A government of our own is our natural right" (34). Paine concludes on a note of optimistic idealism: "O ye that love mankind! Ye that dare oppose, not only the tyranny, but the tyrant, stand forth!