Thomas Paine Questions - Coursework Example

Paine believed that his work was going to be remembered for a long time – may be forever. He argued that though his work would not have obtained general favor from readers, after some time its objectives was going to be achieved as more people were going to like it - “Time makes more converts than reason” (Paine, 1776, p. 1). Therefore his belief was that in the long run, his document was going to gain some favor from the readers. Question Two In the views of Paine, society and government are two very different organizations.

They are the very opposite of each other. Paine argued that society and government are not the same and even their origin is not the same. The origin of society comes out of our wants but that of the government is from our wickedness. While the society enhances people’s happiness my uniting their great moments, government bring gloominess unto our lives by restraining our vices. Furthermore society enhances intercourse while government brings about classifications. While a society is viewed as a blessing a government is said to be punisher.

Paine described a government as a necessary evil when it is in its best state. To Paine, government is badge of lost innocence. Society and government are therefore very different from each other and cannot be compared. In the description of Paine, they seem to oppose each other. It is very interesting how Paine contrasted society and government. In his description he was indeed able to show that though the two are different from each other they cannot be separated from each other. He used such words as necessary evil in describing government showing that government was evil but all the same it cannot be done away with.

Question Three Though Paine described government as an evil and a badge of lost innocence, he still argued strongly that it was necessary for the society. Paine saw a great need for regulations and government in general in the society. Government and regulation become necessary because a society grows to a point whereby its members lose commitment and attachment to each other. At first, regulations will be set up to be observed by all the members of the society whereby all the members will have some form of say in the formulation of such regulations.

But as the society grows, the need to leave legislation to a legislative body will raise and thus a government would have to been formed. In the views of Paine, regulations and government are simply necessary for the sake of ensuring that there is order in the society. Paine argued that it is the failure of the members of the society to uphold moral virtues that give raise to regulations and government. Along this thinking, he described government as “a mode rendered necessary by the inability of moral virtue to govern the world” (Paine, 1776, p. 1). Therefore, in simple terms the need for regulations and government is for the purpose of keeping order in the society.

Question Four Paine finds two “tyrannies” in the English Constitution in the form of the Monarchy and Aristocracy. This is because it is a complete opposite of what he