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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

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

Country Freedom Government People Power Royalty
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
When it becomes necessary to do a thing, the whole heart and soul should go into the measure, or not attempt it.
THOMAS PAINE

Heart Necessary Soul
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
To take away voting is to reduce a man to slavery.
THOMAS PAINE

Man Slave Vote
I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life. I believe in the equality of humans; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow creatures happy.
THOMAS PAINE

Believe Beyond Equality God Happiness Hope Justice Life Mercy Ourselves
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
Some people can be reasoned into sense, and others must be shocked into it.
THOMAS PAINE

People Reason Shock Surprise
Character is much easier kept than recovered.
THOMAS PAINE

Character Easy Recovery
Reason and Ignorance, the opposites of each other, influence the great bulk of mankind. If either of these can be rendered sufficiently extensive in a country, the machinery of Government goes easily on. Reason obeys itself; and Ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
THOMAS PAINE

Easy Government Greatness Ignorance Influence Kind Man Reason
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
THOMAS PAINE

Appearance Habit Right Thinking Wrong
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
I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace.
THOMAS PAINE

Children Choice Live Myself Peace Time Trouble
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
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 easy to see that when republican virtue fails, slavery ensues.
THOMAS PAINE

Easy Politics See Slave Virtue

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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