Common Sense in Succession

As Thomas Paine was well aware, with monarchies, eventually comes the problem of successions. In chapter 2 of his pamphlet, Paine further discusses the problems concerning monarchies, instead opting to reach a new level within his audience, taking a religious standpoint, and frequently citing the Bible as evidence that the Heavens themselves expressly disapprove of such human folly. “In the early ages of the world, according to the scripture chronology, there were no Kings; the consequence in which was there were no wars; it is the pride of Kings which throw mankind into confusion”.

He goes on to cite Holland as an example of a prosperous government, with no King. Paine eventually delves into the inherently glaring problem of hereditary succession. The first King in a line, might merit some form of praise or credit from his peers, in whatever manner he came upon his title and throne, however, who is to say that his successors/inheritors are worthy of taking such a position? As Thomas pain stated in one of his quotes “One of the strongest natural proofs of the folly of hereditary right in Kings, is, that nature disapproves it, otherwise she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule by giving mankind an ass for a lion”.

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Yet, Paine knew that just because one line showed one good king, and did not guarantee that the rest of the kings who proceeded would be of merit. After all, England had its fair share of tyrants, in fact more so than any good kings.

Thomas Paine was not the only one with contempt for the British monarchy. However, other dissenters would not speak for many reasons other than that; whether it be from fear, superstition, or the tried and true reason of monetary gain. Paine would even cite tradition as a reason for the continued existence of the monarchy.

When your entire line of ancestors has lived under the same form of government for hundreds of years, some might feel compelled to continue that tradition. Some would even say that to break from such a tradition would bring the downfall of one’s own country, as Paine would explain and eventually prove to be correct in many ways. To Paine, the monarchy and hereditary succession were just endless cycles, doomed to eventually fail. And even though Paine was most critical of the English monarchy, his writings could be applied to monarchies all over the globe till this day. Paine was just one of the many who realized that the power and concept of the monarchy was a fading relic to/of a dying way of life. Countries were rapidly trending upwards, the views of society were changing, centuries of religion were being questioned from all sides and angles. The changes occurring not only in America and England, but also in places such as France, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, and every other major country at the time, were radical enough to threaten the status quo of anyone with authority. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet carried with it a wave of liberty and freedom that would affect the Earth for the next several hundred years. This will continue to live on and be talked about forever because it had a huge impact in many different levels.