Thomas Paine: “Government by precedent, without any regard to the principle of the precedent, is one of the vilest systems that can be…”

Because aristocracy has a tendency to deteriorate the human species.

It has nothing to dread from attacks; truth has given it an establishment, and time will record it with a name as lasting as his own.

It was become evident, that no constitution, worthy of being called by that name, could be established on anything less than a national ground.

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.