Question

What position does Paine advocate in this excerpt from Thomas Paine's Common Sense?

Answer 1

Thomas Paine in Common Sense advocated for American independence and the establishment of a republic, arguing against monarchy and for a government that served the people's interests.

Step-by-step explanation:

Thomas Paine's influential pamphlet Common Sense advocated for the rejection of monarchy and the British rule, in favor of establishing an independent republican government in the American colonies. In his writing, Paine addressed ordinary people in straightforward language, making complex political ideas accessible to the wider public. He denounced King George III as a 'royal brute' and highlighted the absurdity of an island (England) ruling a continent (America). Paine's arguments were rooted in the notion of natural rights and the idea that governments have a duty to serve their people, rather than dominate them. The pamphlet became popular because it resonated with the colonists' experience of British governance as neglectful and exploitative, particularly in economic terms. Common Sense provided a clear case for why the colonies should govern themselves and offered a compelling vision of a society based on majority rule, representation, and the pursuit of the public good over individual self-interest.

Answer 2

Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense' argued for American independence and a republican government, resonating with colonists through plain language and criticism of monarchy and British governance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main arguments that Thomas Paine makes in his pamphlet Common Sense include advocating for the independence of the American colonies from British rule and the establishment of a republican form of government in place of a monarchy. Paine's pamphlet became widely popular because it articulated the argument for independence in plain language that resonated with ordinary people. He criticized King George III and the hereditary monarchy, promoted the idea of popular sovereignty, and highlighted the failings of the British government in addressing the colonies' needs, which many colonists found compelling and mobilizing.