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It is important that we should never lose sight of this distinction. We must not confuse the peoples with their governments.

Thomas Paine

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

Action Man Right
If I do not believe as you believe, it proves that you do not believe as I believe, and that is all that it proves.
THOMAS PAINE

Believe Evidence Myself Philosophy Yourself
The Bible is a book that has been read more and examined less than any book that ever existed.
THOMAS PAINE

Book Existence Reading
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
Rights are not gifts from one man to another, nor from one class of men to another. It is impossible to discover any origin of rights otherwise than in the origin of man; it consequently follows that rights appertain to man in right of his existence, and must therefore be equal to every man.
THOMAS PAINE

Discover Equality Existence Gift Impossible Man Right
The trade of governing has always been monopolized by the most ignorant and the most rascally individuals of mankind.
THOMAS PAINE

Government Ignorance Kind Man Trade
It is always to be taken for granted, that those who oppose an equality of rights never mean the exclusion should take place on themselves.
THOMAS PAINE

Equality Opposition Place Right
I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.
THOMAS PAINE

Change Man Myself Opinion Present Right Slave Support
To take away voting is to reduce a man to slavery.
THOMAS PAINE

Man Slave Vote
If those to whom power is delegated do well, they will be respected; if not, they will be despised.
THOMAS PAINE

Hate Power Respect
Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property… Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them.
THOMAS PAINE

Discouragement Law Mischief Order World
Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom must undertake to support it.
THOMAS PAINE

Blessing Expectation Freedom Support
We repose an unwise confidence in any government, or in any men, when we invest them officially with too much, or an unnecessary quantity of, discretionary power.
THOMAS PAINE

Confidence Government Man Necessary Power
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
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
The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which other rights are protected. To take away this right is to reduce a man to slavery, for slavery consists in being subject to the will of another, and he that has not a vote in the election of representatives is in this case.
THOMAS PAINE

Election Himself Man Protection Representation Right Slave Vote

It is important that we should never lose sight of this distinction. We must not confuse the peoples with their governments.

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It is important that we should never lose sight of this distinction. We must not confuse the peoples with their governments.

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Popular Authors

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