“Men who look upon themselves born to reign, and others to obey, soon grow insolent; selected from the rest of mankind their minds are early poisoned by importance; and the world they act in differs so materially from the world at large, that they have but little opportunity of knowing its true interests, and when they succeed to the government are frequently the most ignorant and unfit of any throughout the dominions.”--Thomas Paine, Common Sense (1776)

In this episode, Dr. Nora Slonimsky, Director the the Institute for Thomas Paine Studies at Iona U., walks you through the life and ideas of one of the most influential figures in American history, Thomas Paine, author of the bestselling political pamphlet Common Sense (1776).

Topics include:

-Thomas Paine's early life

-The massive popularity of Common Sense

-Similarities between Common Sense and the Declaration of Independence

-Paine's savage critiques of King George and hereditary monarchy

-His support for republicanism, democracy, and egalitarianism

-His role in the creation of many founding myths in America

-His warnings about the dangers of unchecked power