"One of those celebrated foreigners whom the nation ought with eagerness
to adopt."--_Madame Roland._
M. Cheslay: "He defended in London the principles of the French
Revolution."
Brockhaus' Konversatjons-Lexikon: "After he returned to England in 1791
he published his 'Rights of Man.' (translated into many languages) in
which he defended the French Revolution against the assaults of Burke."
Porter C. Bliss: "Published, in 1791-92 his 'Rights of Man' [two parts],
a vindication of the French Revolution, in reply to Burke, which gave
him immense popularity in France and led to a bestowal of citizenship
and his election to the French National Convention."
"He was made a French Citizen by the same decree with Washington,
Hamilton, Priestley and Sir James Mackintosh."--_Joel Barlow_.
Nelson's Encyclopedia: "The book was dedicated to Washington, was
translated into French and made a, great impression." (The second part
was dedicated to Lafayette.)
Edmund Gosse, LL.D.: "The circulation was so enormous that it had a
distinct effect in coloring public opinion."
Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography: "His 'Rights of Man,' if
the undenied statement as to its circulation (a million and a half of
copies is correct) was more largely read in England and France than any
other political work ever published."
Chamber's Encyclopedia: "The most famous of all the replies to Burke's
'Reflections on the French Revolution.' A million and a half copies were
sold in England alone."
John Hall (London, January, 1792): "Burke's publication has produced
nearly fifty different answers. Nothing has ever been so read as
Paine's answer."
Edward Baines, LL.D.: "Editions were multiplied in every form and
size; it was alike seen in the hands of the noble and the plebeian, and
became, at length, translated into the various languages of Europe."
Paris Moniteur (Nov. 8, 1792): "That which will astonish posterity is
that at Stockholm, five months after the death of Gustavus, and while
the northern Powers are leaguing themselves against the liberty of
France, there has been published a translation of Thomas Paine's 'Rights
of Man,' the translator being one of the King's secretaries."
The following is a summary of Paine's political philosophy as presented
in the "Rights of Man":
1. Government is the organization of the aggregate natural rights which
individuals are not competent to secure individually, and therefore
surrender to the control of society in exchange for the protection of
all rights.
2. Republican government is that in which the welfare of the whole
nation is the object.
3. Monarchy is government, more or less arbitrary, in which the
interests of an individual are paramount to those of the people
generally.
4. Aristocracy is government, partially arbitrary, in which the
interests of a class are paramount to the people generally.
5. Democracy is the whole people governing themselves without secondary
means.
6. Representative government is the control of a nation by persons
elected by the whole nation.