Thomas Paine

Whether robbery shall be banished from courts, and wretchedness from countries?

Whether the fruits of his labours shall be enjoyed by himself or consumed by the profligacy of governments?

It is not whether this or that party shall be in or not, or Whig or Tory, high or low shall prevail; but whether man shall inherit his rights, and universal civilisation take place?

While despotism warred with despotism, man had no interest in the contest; but in a cause that unites the soldier with the citizen, and nation with nation, the despotism of courts, though it feels the danger and meditates revenge, is…

Alliances, contrary to all former systems, are agitating, and a common interest of courts is forming against the common interest of man.

But it is with revolutions as with commerce, the advantages increase by their becoming general, and double to either what each would receive alone.

It is only by each nation reforming its own, that the whole can be improved, and the full benefit of reformation enjoyed.

The expense of maintaining dominion more than absorbs the profits of any trade.

To a few individuals it may be beneficial, merely because it is commerce; but to the nation it is a loss.

Though the principle of all commerce is the same, the domestic, in a national view, is the part the most beneficial; because the whole of the advantages, an both sides, rests within the nation; whereas, in foreign commerce, it is only a…

The present increase of commerce is not to be attributed to ministers, or to any political contrivances, but to its own natural operation in consequence of peace.

When, therefore, governments are at war, the attack is made upon a common stock of commerce, and the consequence is the same as if each had attacked his own.