Common Sense (pamphlet)

For the German meaning of common sense

For the title A Defence of Common Sense, see George Edward Moore.

Common Sense is the title of a pamphlet that Thomas Paine on January 10, 1776 - anonymously - during the American Revolution published. Free of any emotional ties to Britain gave Paine explained that it was up to America to gain independence and establish a new, democratic system of government that was based on the principles of human rights. "Common Sense" had enjoyed enormous success and resulted in a shift of opinion in favor of the Patriots.

The name of the pamphlet is based on the European Common Sense philosophy.

Structure and Content

Paine's pamphlet is divided into four main chapters that are listed on the title page:

• I. " Of the Origin and Design of Government in general, with concise Remarks on the English Constitution. " ( " About the origin and structure of a government in general, with concise Remarks on the English Constitution " )
• II " Of Monarchy and Hereditary Succession. " ( " Of monarchy and hereditary succession " )
• III. "Thoughts on the present State of American Affairs. " ( "Thoughts on the present state of American affairs " )
• IV "On the Present Ability of America, with some Miscellaneous Reflections. " ( "On the present ability of America, with other miscellaneous reflections " )

In addition to the emphasis put on exposition of the need for a separation from the mother country also natural law and democratic ideas are anchored in "Common Sense" that were groundbreaking for the subsequent declaration of independence.

Popularity

"Common Sense" became the most popular pamphlet in the American colonies and had a circulation of 120,000 copies in three months. Today's research suggested that by beginning of the year 1776 half of all American colonists had heard on the one or the other passages from "Common Sense". Overall, the pamphlet had a circulation of more than 500 000 copies. This tremendous success is due to the fact that Paine - in contrast to most other writers of his time - a populist language used. In the aristocrats came, however, because of the call for a unified Parliament (without privileged House of Lords ) to criticism.

The importance and impact

The pamphlet in which Paine the then British King George III. as "Pharaoh" and castigates " royal brute ", often caused a change of heart and took a part of the American people for the idea of ​​independence. "Common Sense" a decisive influence on the written by Thomas Jefferson, signed on July 4, 1776 Declaration of Independence. Paine was the first who proposed to call the new nation "United States of America."

According to the historian Jürgen Heideking " Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense ignited the spark that brought the powder keg to explode. "