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Overall Summary
The Rights of Man is a 1791 philosophical political treatise by English-American political revolutionary and Founding Father Thomas Paine. The work went on to become a classic document in the history of revolutionary literature and continues to resonate with modern critical thought on the nature and function of revolution.
The Rights of Man was written in 1789, a year after the French Revolution. The revolution overthrew the aristocratic class and established Europe’s first full representative democracy. Edmund Burke, a famous conservative political thinker from England, wrote about how damaging that revolution was to important Western institutions such as monarchy, church and aristocracy. He argued that these institutions were justified since they gave birth to culture and moral norms for Western countries.
Paine was against Burke’s argument because it seemed to be an appeal for the status quo. Paine argued that Burke did not have all of the facts about what happened in France, and he probably didn’t even see it happen first hand. In addition, Paine felt that Burke was trying to manipulate public opinion by making them believe that the revolutionaries were savages who could not control themselves.
Thomas Paine believed that the French Revolution was a moral act. He argued that it protected natural rights such as liberty, security, and property. In his view, the best way to ensure this protection is to give citizens political power so they can elect officials who will protect these rights in the interest of everyone. This idea has been widely adopted by governments all over the world today.
Paine says that when a government takes action without the consent of its people, it is within their rights to change or abolish it. He argues that this is the best way for governments to be because they can evolve and citizens’ rights are protected. Burke’s argument against revolution was just an appeal to the ruling class who wanted to keep their power, but France’s Declaration of Rights followed these principles.
In the second part of The Rights of Man, which was published a year after the first, Paine continues to criticize Burke and other thinkers who disagree with him. He states that social order exists outside of government; it is an extension of natural law that needs no formal medium for existence. Monarchy should be abolished because it’s inferior to democracy in terms of economic stability. Democracy would improve conditions for citizens by creating free trade, abolishing monopolies, and providing social programs for those in need.
Although The Rights of Man was written over two centuries ago, it still has a lot to offer in the twenty-first century. It calls for liberties that have yet to be seen as global norms. Thomas Paine’s dedication and principles make him an effective political revolutionary.
