Thomas Paine

So far is it from being true, as has been pretended, that the abolition of any formal government is the dissolution of society, that it acts by a contrary impulse, and brings the latter the closer together.

In short, man is so naturally a creature of society that it is almost impossible to put him out of it.

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

Man, with respect to all those matters, is more a creature of consistency than he is aware, or than governments would wish him to believe.

Those of trade and commerce, whether with respect to the intercourse of individuals or of nations, are laws of mutual and reciprocal interest.

They are followed and obeyed, because it is the interest of the parties so to do, and not on account of any formal laws their governments may impose or interpose.

As a great mass of the community are thrown thereby into poverty and discontent, they are constantly on the brink of commotion; and deprived, as they unfortunately are, of the means of information, are easily heated to outrage.

Whatever the apparent cause of any riots may be, the real one is always want of happiness.

There the poor are not oppressed, the rich are not privileged.

Industry is not mortified by the splendid extravagance of a court rioting at its expense.

Why is it that scarcely any are executed but the poor?

Passing over, for the present, all the evils and mischiefs which monarchy has occasioned in the world, nothing can more effectually prove its uselessness in a state of civil government, than making it hereditary.