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No country can be called free which is governed by an absolute power; and it matters not whether it be an absolute royal power or an absolute legislative power, as the consequences will be the same to the people.

Thomas Paine

Men should not petition for rights, but take them.
THOMAS PAINE

Action Man Right
The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.
THOMAS PAINE

Country Goodness Kind Man Religion World
From the east to the west blow the trumpet to arms! Through the land let the sound of it flee; Let the far and the near all unite, with a cheer, In defense of our Liberty Tree.
THOMAS PAINE

Liberty Ourselves Sound Success Tree Unity
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
THOMAS PAINE

Blessing Expectation Freedom Man Support
He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.
THOMAS PAINE

Enemy Establishment Himself Liberty Oppression Reach Security Violate
To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.
THOMAS PAINE

Administration Argument Death Medicine Person Reason
A Constitution is not the act of a Government, but of a people constituting a government, and a government without a constitution is a power without right.
THOMAS PAINE

Act Constitution Government People Power Right
All churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Muslim, are simply human inventions. They use fear to enslave us. They are a monopoly for power and profit.
THOMAS PAINE

Fear Human Invention Power Profit Religion
Religion is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize humankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it as I detest everything that is cruel.
THOMAS PAINE

Corruption Cruelty History Human Kind Religion Service Sincere
Some people can be reasoned into sense, and others must be shocked into it.
THOMAS PAINE

People Reason Shock Surprise
The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.
THOMAS PAINE

Fear Power Resistance Strength
Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.
THOMAS PAINE

Angel Character God Man Reputation Thinking Woman
Where knowledge is a duty, ignorance is a crime.
THOMAS PAINE

Crime Ignorance Knowledge Responsibility
There are two distinct classes of men – those who pay taxes and those who receive and live upon taxes.
THOMAS PAINE

Live Man Pay Privilege Tax
Our greatest enemies, the ones we must fight most often, are within.
THOMAS PAINE

Enemy Fight Greatness Oneself Philosophy
A constitution defines and limits the powers of the government it creates. It therefore follows, as a natural and also a logical result, that the governmental exercise of any power not authorized by the constitution is an assumed power, and therefore illegal.
THOMAS PAINE

Constitution Exercise Government Illegal Limitation Logic Natural Power Result

No country can be called free which is governed by an absolute power; and it matters not whether it be an absolute royal power or an absolute legislative power, as the consequences will be the same to the people.

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No country can be called free which is governed by an absolute power; and it matters not whether it be an absolute royal power or an absolute legislative power, as the consequences will be the same to the people.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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