Thomas Paine
The American Crisis: “These are the times that try men’s souls”
Written as a patriotic rallying cry for a weary army, Thomas Paine published the first pamphlet of The American Crisis series on Dec. 19. 1776. Refuting British arguments for American surrender, rallying morale, and urging the Revolutionaries to push on, Paine’s...
Thomas Paine: The Evils of Paper Money
While most people associate support for sound money with founders like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, in 1786 Thomas Paine issued a blistering attack on fiat money, writing that the “evils of paper money have no end.” Path to Liberty: November 22, 2021...
Thomas Paine’s Declaration of War Against Monarchy
Thomas Paine was likely the most ardent and radical republican of his time, transcending virtually all of his peers. Even so, he tended to separate his trademark disdain for hereditary monarchy in general with attacks against specific monarchs. As he believed, such...
Thomas Paine’s Sedition: The Rights of Man, Part 1
After Thomas Paine released the first part of the Rights of Man, it flew off the bookstalls in England, and printers could not meet the demand it received. It was soon distributed throughout Europe and the United States, and about 50,000 copies were sold within 2...