What first comes to mind when I think about why I like Paine’s work is how relevant his work remains in politics today. Many of his arguments about the role of government, equality, and rights are still not solved to this day. I think he really understands how we need to tackle the challenges in our world from a political perspective where everyone in society is considered and the elites don’t have all of the power.
Before Paine’s work was written, society was under the false impression that the most effective form of government was a monarchy that had absolute power over all. However, Paine exposed the flaws to monarchies and inherited power with valid claims that were incredibly difficult to reject. The only thing that could keep the oppressive reign going was silencing Paine by throwing him in jail. This reaction shows just how threatening truthful ideas can be to a government built on unchecked authority.
Paine’s work was additionally designed with common folk in mind. Unlike Kant, Paine writes in a way that is very good for teaching. I personally began reading Paine’s Common Sense almost 4 years ago in high school. Paine in high school taught me that just because things are the way they always have been doesn’t mean they have to continue to be the same way. That is how civil rights movements gained traction, when ordinary people realized they could challenge the unjustifiable traditions. If Paine’s work were to reach certain countries, I think we would see governments reform for the better, because studying Paine teaches us to question authority, value freedom, and take action for justice in our own lives.