Final answer:
Thomas Paine proposed complete independence from Britain in his work Common Sense, advocating for a republican government and the notion of popular sovereignty. The correct option is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The solution to colonial problems that Thomas Paine proposed in Common Sense was C. Complete independence from Britain. Paine's influential pamphlet argued vehemently against the idea of monarchial rule and for the establishment of a republic where citizens could determine their governance through elected representatives.
He critiqued the British monarchy and particularly targeted King George III, referring to him as a 'royal brute' and highlighted the impracticality of an island (England) ruling over the continent (America). Paine illuminated the economic and philosophical justifications for independence, endorsing republicanism and the idea of popular sovereignty.
He posited that the colonies had matured beyond the need for British guidance and protection, growing instead into entities capable of self-rule and prosperity. The correct option is C.