Final answer:
Thomas Paine's central complaint was about the lack of representation for the American colonists in the British Parliament, leading to the principle of 'no taxation without representation.'
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomas Paine's major complaint with the political system between Great Britain and America centered on the idea of lack of representation. Colonists in America felt that they were not represented in the British Parliament and thus should not be subject to the taxes imposed by that body, a concept frequently summed up as "no taxation without representation." This was a fundamental difference between British "virtual" representation and what the colonists believed should be "actual" representation in Parliament - a belief that taxes should only be levied by elected representatives whom they had a hand in choosing.