On the recordJanuary 1, 1791
Formal government makes but a small part of civilised life; and when even the best that human wisdom can devise is established, it is a thing more in name and idea than in fact.
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Thomas Paine
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gutenberg.orgThomas Paine: “Formal government makes but a small part of civilised life; and when even the best that human wisdom can devise is…”
Editor's note · Context
From "Rights of Man," this passage argues that formal government constitutes a minor aspect of civilized life, often existing more in concept than in tangible effect.
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