One thing is called a luxury at one time, and something else at another; but the real luxury does not consist in the article, but in the means of procuring it, and this is always kept out of sight.
In "Rights of Man," Paine defines true luxury as the means of acquisition rather than the item itself, in the context of taxation.
Share
More from Thomas Paine
The more it is struck the more sparks it will emit; and the fear is it will not be struck enough.
In fine, society performs for itself almost everything which is ascribed to government.
The object is not so much the produce of the tax as the justice of the measure.