--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a position not to be controverted…" description: "\"It is a position not to be controverted, that the earth ... was and ever would have continued to be, the COMMON PROPERTY OF THE HUMAN RACE.\" — Thomas P..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/thomas-paine-267_common_it-is-a-position-not-to-be-controverted_2338385.png" --- # It is a position not to be controverted, that the earth… ![“It is a position not to be controverted, that the earth ... was and ever would have continued to be, the COMMON PROPERTY OF THE HUMAN RACE.” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/thomas-paine-267_common_it-is-a-position-not-to-be-controverted_2338385.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/thomas-paine-267_common_it-is-a-position-not-to-be-controverted_2338385.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/023/thomas-paine-267_common_it-is-a-position-not-to-be-controverted_2338385.png) > “It is a position not to be controverted, that the earth ... was and ever would have continued to be, the COMMON PROPERTY OF THE HUMAN RACE.” [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Earth belongs collectively to all humanity, not to private owners. **In simple terms:** The planet is shared by everyone. Key Takeaway Advocate for global stewardship. Themes equality environment collective ownership Mood reflective ethical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy debates - education curricula - international law - community projects Key Concepts common heritage resource distribution rights sustainability Questions to Reflect On - How can we enforce shared ownership? - What responsibilities arise from this view? A Different Perspective Practical implementation faces entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-property-467234/) [Controverted Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controverted-earth-5650463/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Earth Continued](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-continued-590726/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Position Controverted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position-controverted-5650464/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) ## Related quotes > [The earth, in its natural, uncultivated state was, and ever would have continued to be, the common property of the human race." As the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-earth-in-its-natural-uncultivated-state-was-and-ever-would-have/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“A sigh, and Earth continued to rotate back toward the sun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kalanithi/a-sigh-and-earth-continued-to-rotate-back-toward-the-sun/) [Paul Kalanithi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kalanithi/) > [In real friendship the judgment, the genius, the prudence of each party become the common property of both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/in-real-friendship-the-judgment-the-genius-the-prudence-of-each-party/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [We can no longer afford to consider air and water common property, free to be abused by anyone without regard to the consequences. Instead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/we-can-no-longer-afford-to-consider-air-and-water-common-property/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [The tax upon land values is the most just and equal of all taxes. It falls only upon those who receive from society a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-george/the-tax-upon-land-values-is-the-most-just-and-equal-of-all-taxes-it/) [Henry George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-george/) > [The alternative to intellectual property is straightforward: intellectual products should not be owned, as in the case of everyday language. That means not owned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-martin/the-alternative-to-intellectual-property-is-straightforward/) [Brian Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-martin/) > [“the greater the number of owners, the less the respect for common property. People are much more careful of their personal possessions than of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-greater-the-number-of-owners-the-less-the-respect-for-common/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The best ideas are common property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-ideas-are-common-property/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [the field of knolege is the common property of all mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-field-of-knolege-is-the-common-property-of-all-mankind/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“In the villages of the Iroquois, land was owned in common and worked in common. 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It was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-tambo/the-land-on-which-the-cattle-grazed-was-communal-property-it-was/) [Oliver Tambo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-tambo/) > [“Naturally there was the notion of private property as a pragmatic concept, for individuals or groups have a proclivity to tend to their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashim-shanker/naturally-there-was-the-notion-of-private-property-as-a-pragmatic/) [Ashim Shanker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashim-shanker/) > [It is a moot question whether the origin of any kind of property is derived from nature at all. It is agreed by those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-is-a-moot-question-whether-the-origin-of-any-kind-of-property-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The phrase public office is a public trust, has of last become common property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sumner/the-phrase-public-office-is-a-public-trust-has-of-last-become-common/) [Charles Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sumner/) ## More by Thomas Paine > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The book called the Bible has been voted by men, and decreed by human laws to be the word of God; and the disbelief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-book-called-the-bible-has-been-voted-by-men-and-decreed-by-human/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [One would think that a system loaded with such gross and vulgar absurdities as Scripture religion is could never have obtained credit; yet we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/one-would-think-that-a-system-loaded-with-such-gross-and-vulgar/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Commerce diminishes the spirit, both of patriotism and military defence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/commerce-diminishes-the-spirit-both-of-patriotism-and-military-defence/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [What is it the Bible teaches us? - raping, cruelty, and murder. 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