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Chapters: 4 Ideas: 40

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Common Sense

Thomas Paine 1776

When should a people govern themselves? An argument for American independence in 1776, linking the purpose of government to representation and the rejection of hereditary rule. Political separation requires a constitutional order, cooperation among the colonies, and practical means to sustain self-government.

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  1. Idea 15

    A fixed line of succession does not guarantee peace. England’s dynastic conflicts show that rival claims to an inherited crown can themselves become causes of civil war.

  2. Idea 29

    The colonies’ strength depended on union as well as numbers. Acting together could make independence possible where no single colony could sustain the struggle alone.

  3. Idea 40

    Independence did not require ending commerce with Britain. Political separation could leave room for mutually beneficial trade and a peace negotiated between distinct states.

Contents
  1. Society, Government, and Representation9 ideas
  2. The Case Against Hereditary Rule8 ideas
  3. Independence and a Government of Laws11 ideas
  4. Making Independence Practicable12 ideas