By a curious kind of revolution in accounts, the people of England seem to mistake their poverty for their riches; that is, they reckon their national debt as a part of their national wealth.
Paine critiques the English people's economic understanding, specifically their perception of national debt.
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In fine, society performs for itself almost everything which is ascribed to government.
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.
He must now show that every one in the line of hereditary succession was a Solomon, or his title is not good to be a king.
To possess ourselves of a clear idea of what government is, or ought to be, we must trace it to its origin.