Thomas Paine: “Monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy, are but creatures of imagination; and a thousand such may be contrived as well as…”

But from such opposition the French Revolution, instead of suffering, receives an homage.

Man cannot, properly speaking, make circumstances for his purpose, but he always has it in his power to improve them when they occur, and this was the case in France.

The Aristocracy had hitherto opposed the despotism of the Court, and affected the language of patriotism; but it opposed it as its rival (as the English Barons opposed King John) and it now opposed the nation from the same motives.

War is their trade, plunder and revenue their objects.