The sun needs no inscription to distinguish him from darkness; and no sooner did the American governments display themselves to the world, than despotism felt a shock and man began to contemplate redress.
From his work "Rights of Man," Paine uses an analogy of the sun to illustrate how the emergence of American governments inherently challenged despotism and inspired thoughts of reform.
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It was become evident, that no constitution, worthy of being called by that name, could be established on anything less than a national ground.
The Parliaments on their part insisted that they had not only a right to remonstrate, but to reject; and on this ground they were always supported by the nation.
To account for this sudden transition, it is proper to observe that there are two distinct species of popularity; the one excited by merit, and the other by resentment.
In fine, society performs for itself almost everything which is ascribed to government.