Thomas Paine

The obscurity in which the origin of all the present old governments is buried, implies the iniquity and disgrace with which they began.

It is impossible that such governments as have hitherto existed in the world, could have commenced by any other means than a total violation of every principle sacred and moral.

In all cases they took care to represent government as a thing made up of mysteries, which only themselves understood; and they hid from the understanding of the nation the only thing that was beneficial to know, namely, That government is…

The parties were always of the class of courtiers; and whatever was their rage for reformation, they carefully preserved the fraud of the profession.

All the revolutions till then had been worked within the atmosphere of a court, and never on the grand floor of a nation.

One of the great advantages of the American Revolution has been, that it led to a discovery of the principles, and laid open the imposition, of governments.

Their taxes are few, because their government is just: and as there is nothing to render them wretched, there is nothing to engender riots and tumults.

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

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

It shows that something is wrong in the system of government that injures the felicity by which society is to be preserved.

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

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.