THOMAS PAINE THE HUMANIST and THE THINKER A STUDY OF HIS WRITINGS

Abstract

Thomas Paine is one of the greatest luminaries of the world whose name has been newlineovershadowed by indifference and neglect by the very people he served in America, England and newlineEurope throughout his life. Monarchy begets misery a conviction which Paine worked with newlinestarting from his early career to the two great revolutions of the world convinced him to put his newlineefforts and money for its abolition. He was a pragmatic utopian who dared to dream of utopian newlinepossibilities and made possible for the common men to have their share of happiness and newlineprosperity realized. newlineThe success of the American Revolution paved the way not only for the emancipation of newlinecolonial people but of common men all over the world from the bondage of traditional and newlineorthodox beliefs men were born rich and poor; divine rights of the kings; religious restrictions newlinein the matters of faith; paying taxes without questioning all amounting to tyranny of this or that newlinesort. Paine s role in the revolutions in America and France is unique and unparalleled in newlinesupplying long-needed intellectual inspiration and motivation. He was not ready to accept the newlinecontinuance of Rousseau s dictum that Man is born free, but he is everywhere in chains any newlinelonger. He wanted to move ahead and break the monarchical shackles that hindered the progress, newlineprosperity and happiness of the individuals and thereby of the nations of the world. Nothing newlineexcept revolution in thought and action is the key to achieve the long-cherished dream of human newlinehappiness. Spiller has rightly pointed out in this context that Revolutionism became Paine s newlinebasic faith (140). newline