Compare And Contrast Burke And Thomas Paine

Growing tension between Britain and its American colonies in the mid-sixteenth century provoked many colonists to express their heartfelt opinions about the matter. Some had the ability to publish their articles that became widely circulated throughout the American colonies, fostering the enlargement of those who realized the enhancements of governing their own nation. Others took to writing their community leaders asking for action to be taken against the broken relations with the British Empire. Thomas Paine was one colonist who took to the press to spread his ideas about separating from Britain in Common Sense. Phillis Wheatley took a different approach and wrote a personal letter to George Washington, then general, enclosed with a poem titled “To His Excellency General Washington” which was later edited by none other than Thomas Paine before being published.

Many of the colonists were beginning to grow weary and thinking of throwing in the towel. Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine were the push the Colonists needed. The two writers both gave compelling reasons as to why they needed to go to war with Britain and obtain their freedom. They were both in full support of the American Revolution. Though both writers had an influence on the people, Patrick Henry was the stronger of the two.

Thomas Paine The great debate, sparked with the controversy of the French Revolution led to a discourse between two great political thinkers in the late eighteenth century. The dispute about whether Burke or Paine were right about their stance on revolution as destruction. While Edmund Burke openly disagreed with the French Revolution, Thomas Paine supported it. Truly, Thomas Paine had a stronger more favorable position with supporting causes that led to a compelling stance.

Paine sees the government sort of bad, and doesn't see our government as divinely ordained or otherwise extremely valuable. Paine thinks that, governments can only be measured by effectiveness, and their ability to improve society without being cruel. Thomas Paine doesn't believe that anyone has a right to govern other people, which means he thinks that the king should no longer rule the colonies. According to Paine's view on government makes the revolutionary movement much more appetizing by rejecting the presumption that the king has some lawful authority over the colonies. He also says that the only question that really matters, is whether the colonists' living conditions would be more better, if they governed upon themselves, rather

Edmund Burke vs. Thomas Paine The French Revolution brought controversy to the world. With the constitution completed and election of a new national assemble the declaration of war with Austria had led to controversy over the fate of the new republic. Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine both tried to persuade the revolution in different ways in their books. Burke advocates the government and human rights exist separately, he also opposed the rapid changes of the French revolution believing that gradual reform and traditions are key.

As a nation you have to comply with the traditions and interests that will better the nation, you have to adhere to the laws with respect to the people, you have to balance political interests between both the commoners and the nobility, and you have to have a mixed government where all castes of people have a say in political affairs. He also states in the letter that ,“by the principles of the Revolution, the people of England have acquired three fundamental rights, all which, with him, compose one system and lie together in one short sentence, namely, that we have acquired a right: to choose our own governors, to cashier them for misconduct and to frame a government for ourselves.” This is different that the basis of government that was established in France at the time. In England people had three main rights that could not be taken away, unlike the French. These three major principles led to his theoretical framework with which the whole structure of the letter was based on.

Both Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson like many of the founding fathers of America share a ideology concerning independence and freedom in general. Although the two were notably talented writers, the difference in their arguments was their respective deliveries, writing styles, and their timing. Personally, I agree more with the way Thomas Paine chose to present his point of view. Common sense, for example, was a significant eye-opener for many Americans. One of the only reasons it made such huge impact was because it was written in a style that was easy to understand for the average American.

Edmund Burke discloses his reluctance to change in his Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents, by arguing the old form of government was better than the new one. Specifically, he argued that from the Glorious Revolution in 1688 through the reign of George II of Hanover, the leaders of the Whig party controlled the country under the reign of the king in what he called “the most fortunate periods of our history” (Burke 529). At the same time, the parlement of Paris objects to the current policies of the French government in the Remonstrance against the Edict Suppressing Obligatory Labor. By comparing the similarities and differences of thoughts between the two pieces, conservative intentions unfold in both the parlement’s and Burke’s writing. Both the parlement of Paris and Edmund Burke believe the salvation of the country lies in certain groups of people maintaining power.

He denounced tyranny. He insisted that when government violates individual rights, people may legitimately rebel” (Powell 2). He believed that the government was created for the people and not just the monarchy and if the government fails it’s up to the people to ‘fix’ it. He influenced many people and philosophers, including Thomas Paine and Thomas

Patrick Henry was born in 1736 and believed that the people should be free from the rule of the English Parliament. For example in the Speech in the Virginia Convention he says, “I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission?” His words make it clear that the purpose of the martial law is to force people into submission. He then asks the audience, “Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it?” Both quotes are great examples of his skills in voice because he brings up the problem and then challenges them to find any other meaning behind the words.

In the eighteenth century there was a mix of opposition of independence, and a hope that the new nation would become a home of freedom. Thomas Paine’s argument was that America needs to gain independence from England. Some of the reasons Paine wrote Common Sense is because of unnecessary wars, monarchial government, and the way Britain treated America. Regardless of Paine’s popularity with Common Sense, Jonathan Boucher was a minister who explained his opposition of the revolutionary movement in his sermons. He believed if God wanted America to be independent it would have happened, and it is our duty as citizens to obey the laws because we will be disobedient to God.

Examine the language used in both documents; who is the audience for each writer? Thomas Paine chose to write to the more common less educated people in the colonies. He didn 't use complex language or Latin phrases that were more commonly used in pamphlets aimed at the educated who usually were the more wealthy or

This essay will be discussing and analyzing the document: Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine was an American founding father and very influential in the the enlightenment movement that started in 1714. Thomas Paine wrote common sense so people would begin thinking and discussing the way the British had been treating the colonies in the recent years. Paine believed that King George and the British parliament were tyrannical and that the colonies should do something about it. Common Sense appealed to many of the colonists because of the plain language Thomas Paine used.

Even though Reflections on the Revolution in France refers to a historical event, the French Revolution and its costs, it should be read as a political text based on the writer’s reaction about the Revolution. In his text, Burke seems to not condemn the idea of a revolution but the “strange chaos of levity and ferocity” the French Revolution created (Norton 152). Actually he seems to favor the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the American Revolution thinking that they were less violent and more reasonable. Why is that? His reasons seem to be that the French Revolution was based on the heat of the moment; he believed it was not result of deep reflection, but a passionate uproar of people going against their tradition.

The French Revolution was undoubtedly influenced by the political theorists of the Enlightenment. The ideas of two French political theorists in particular are easily seen throughout the French Revolution, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Baron Montesquieu. Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s thoughts and texts, such as the Social Contract, instilled the entitlement of basic human rights to all men. Rousseau’s concepts on rights combined with Baron Montesquieu’s ideas on government provided the backbone of a radical movement in the French Revolution known as the Terror. When one delves into the beginnings of the French Revolution, the motives and actions of the National Assembly, and the Terror of the French Revolution, one can obviously see the influence of two Enlightenment political theorists, Rousseau and Montesquieu.