“It appears to general observation, that revolutions create genius and talents; but those events do no more than bring them forward. There is existing in man, a mass of sense lying in a dormant state, and which, unless something excites it to action, will descend with him, in that condition, to the grave. As it is to the advantage of society that the whole of its faculties should be employed, the construction of government ought to be such as to bring forward, by a quiet and regular operation, all that extent of capacity which never fails to appear in revolutions.”
Quote by Thomas Paine
Work
Rights of Man: Being an Answer to Mr. Burke's Attack on the French Revolution
Written by Thomas Paine, this work is a comprehensive defense of the rights of man and the ideals of the French Revolution, offering a direct response to Edmund Burke's critique of the revolution. Paine argues for the natural rights of individuals and the necessity of a government based on the will of the people. more
Author
Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine, born on February 9, 1737, and died on June 8, 1809, was a prominent American writer, political figure, and philosopher during the American Revolutionary War. He is renowned for his radical democratic ideas and his contributions to the American independence movement. more
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