Political Quotes

Thomas Paine: When man ceases to be, his power and his wants cease with him; and having no longer any participation in the concerns of…

On the recordJanuary 1, 1791
When man ceases to be, his power and his wants cease with him; and having no longer any participation in the concerns of this world, he has no longer any authority in directing who shall be its governors, or how its government shall be organised, or how administered.
Said by
Thomas Paine

Editor's note · Context

In "Rights of Man," Paine explains why deceased individuals lose all authority over the governance and organization of the living world.

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