As a great mass of the community are thrown thereby into poverty and discontent, they are constantly on the brink of commotion; and deprived, as they unfortunately are, of the means of information, are easily heated to outrage.
In "Rights of Man," Paine describes how widespread poverty and discontent, coupled with a lack of information, push a large segment of society towards unrest and outrage.
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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.
But from such opposition the French Revolution, instead of suffering, receives an homage.
He writes neither in the character of a Frenchman nor an Englishman, but in the fawning character of that creature known in all countries, and a friend to none--a courtier.