“Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a false system of Government.” — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
The people of America are a people of property; almost every man is a freeholder. — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
The more acquisitions the government makes abroad, the more taxes the people have to pay at home. — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one. — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
Beware the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry. — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
If those to whom power is delegated do well, they will be respected; if not, they will be despised. — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
When extraordinary power and extraordinary pay are allotted to any individual in a government, he becomes the center, round which every kind… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“To reason with governments, as they have existed for ages, is to argue with brutes. It is only from the nations themselves… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“A government or an administration, who means and acts honestly, has nothing to fear, and consequently has nothing to conceal;” — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“Let them call me a rebel and welcome. I feel no concern from it. But should I suffer the misery of devils,… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
Whatever has a tendency to promote the civil intercourse of nations by an exchange of benefits is a subject as worthy of… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
We repose an unwise confidence in any government, or in any men, when we invest them officially with too much, or an… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
In the progress of politics, as in the common occurrences of life, we are not only apt to forget the ground we… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
And as a man, who is attached to a prostitute, is unfitted to choose or judge of a wife, so any prepossession… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
Government ought to be as much open to improvement as anything which appertains to man, instead of which it has been monopolized… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
It can only be by blinding the understanding of man, and making him believe that government is some wonderful mysterious thing, that… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
A constitution, therefore, is to a government what the laws made afterwards by that government are to a court of judicature. The… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“for as we are never in a proper condition of doing justice to others, while we continue under the influence of some… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“The answer of Solon on the question, 'Which is the most perfect popular govemment,' has never been exceeded by any man since… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“A constitution is not a thing in name only, but in fact. It has not an ideal, but a real existence; and… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“Nothing can appear more contradictory than the principles on which the old governments began, and the condition to which society, civilisation and… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“As the exalting one man so greatly above the rest cannot be justified on the equal rights of nature, so neither can… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“To understand the nature and quantity of government proper for man, it is necessary to attend to his character. As Nature created… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“Whatever is the cause of taxes to a Nation, becomes also the means of revenue to Government. Every war terminates with an… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“May she [United States] never forget that a fair national reputation is of as much importance as independence. That it possesses a… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“A substantial good drawn from a real evil, is of the same benefit to society as if drawn from a virtue; and… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
It is unnatural that a pure stream should flow from a foul fountain its vices are but a continuation of the vices… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
From such beginnings of governments, what could be expected, but a continual system of war and extortion? — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
Public money ought to be touched with the most scrupulous consciousness of honor. — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
Government," says Swift, "is a plain thing, and fitted to the capacity of many heads. — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
The first was a government of priestcraft, the second of conquerors, and the third of reason. — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
Mingling religion with politics may be disavowed and reprobated by every inhabitant of America. — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
A nation under a well regulated government, should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“In despotic governments wars are the effect of pride; but in those governments in which they become the means of taxation, they… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“That in which every man is interested, is every man's duty to support. And any burden which falls equally on all men,… — Thomas Paine Copy Share Image
“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its… — Thomas Paine Copy Share
The book called the Bible has been voted by men, and decreed by human laws to be the word of God; and the disbelief… — Thomas Paine Copy Share
To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. — Thomas Paine Copy Share
One would think that a system loaded with such gross and vulgar absurdities as Scripture religion is could never have obtained credit; yet we… — Thomas Paine Copy Share
What is it the Bible teaches us? - raping, cruelty, and murder. What is it the New Testament teaches us? - to believe that… — Thomas Paine Copy Share
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. — Thomas Paine Copy Share
“It has been the practice of all Christian commentators on the Bible, and of all Christian priests and preachers, to impose the Bible on… — Thomas Paine Copy Share
But there are times when men have serious thoughts, and it is at such times, when they begin to think, that they begin to… — Thomas Paine Copy Share
Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter… — Thomas Paine Copy Share
Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society. — Thomas Paine Copy Share
“To pass from the extremes of danger to safety-from the tumult of war to the tranquility of peace, though sweet in contemplation, requires a… — Thomas Paine Copy Share
What more does man want to know than that the hand or power that made these things is divine, is omnipotent? Let him believe… — Thomas Paine Copy Share
![“May she [United States] never forget that a fair national reputation is of as much importance as independence. That it possesses a charm that wins upon the world, and makes even enemies civil. That it gives a dignity which is often superior to power, and commands reverence where pomp and splendor…” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b4/thomas-paine-267_america_may-she-united-states-never-forget-that_2742944.png)
