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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

It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies.
THOMAS PAINE

Greatness Power Strength Unity
A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.
THOMAS PAINE

Accountable Body Hold Man Trust
It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error.
THOMAS PAINE

Ability Error Illusion Man Responsibility
The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.
THOMAS PAINE

Fear Power Resistance Strength
Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good.
THOMAS PAINE

Country Goodness Happiness Independence Person Place Religion View World
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
Where knowledge is a duty, ignorance is a crime.
THOMAS PAINE

Crime Ignorance Knowledge Responsibility
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason.
THOMAS PAINE

Appearance Habit Reason Time Wrong
One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests.
THOMAS PAINE

Goodness Priest Worth
These are the times that try men’s souls.
THOMAS PAINE

Hard Time Man Soul Struggle Time Try
You cannot undermine police authority and then complain about rising crime.
THOMAS PAINE

Authority Crime Police Rise Yourself
Our greatest enemies, the ones we must fight most often, are within.
THOMAS PAINE

Enemy Fight Greatness Oneself Philosophy
A nation under a well regulated government, should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires ignorance for its support.
THOMAS PAINE

Government Ignorance Nation Politics Support
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
THOMAS PAINE

Appearance Habit Right Thinking Wrong
I consider the war of America against Britain as the country’s war, the public’s war, or the war of the people in their own behalf, for the security of their natural rights, and the protection of their own property.
THOMAS PAINE

Country People Property Protection Security War
The Deist needs none of those tricks and shows called miracles to confirm his faith, for what can be a greater miracle than the creation itself, and his own existence?
THOMAS PAINE

Creation Existence Faith Greatness Miracle Need Trick
Some people can be reasoned into sense, and others must be shocked into it.
THOMAS PAINE

People Reason Shock Surprise
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
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
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
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
It is important that we should never lose sight of this distinction. We must not confuse the peoples with their governments.
THOMAS PAINE

Government Important Lose People Sight
The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.
THOMAS PAINE

Brave Growth Man Reality Reflection Strength Trouble
An army of principles will penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.
THOMAS PAINE

Army Principle Soldier
Every person of learning is finally his own teacher.
THOMAS PAINE

Himself Learning Person Teacher
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
Character is much easier kept than recovered.
THOMAS PAINE

Character Easy Recovery

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.

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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.

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