SOCIETY vs. GOVERNMENT
In 1776, Thomas Paine published the pamphlet, Common Sense. It was the time of the American Revolution and there was still much debate over the wisdom of separating from Great Britain. While much had been written on that topic, Paine presented the argument for separation using language and terms that were easily understood by the average person of the time.
This pamphlet has been described as “the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era.” and, in comparison to the population at the time, it sold more copies, and was read by more people, than any other book in American history. In his phamphlet Paine addresses two basic terms we need to understand, "Society" and "Government".
Commiewood, and other revisionists, like to present us with a picture of early Americans as a bunch of ignorant woods runners and uneducated farmers. In truth, these people had a much more personal, and recent, experience with the attributes of different forms of society and government then most people do today. They also were relatively well informed and paid much more attention to these ideas and concepts then most people do today. As a result there was extensive debate, about the pros and cons of different types of society and government, and the result of these debates was the American form of government established by our founders.
Paine uses the hypothetical example of a group of people creating a new colony, that has no contact with anyone else, to demonstrate the concepts of society and government. In this colony the people must, by necessity, be united in the common cause of overcoming the obstacles of forming the colony. As such, it is to their benefit to come together as a "Society", to work together for the benefit of the group, as the needs of such a colony - food, shelter, protection, etcetera - could not be achieved by each individual trying to do it alone.
In this manner, Paine views society as a positive aspect of human behavior. One in which, even if for no other reason than survival, each individual acts responsibly and justly towards each other individual. In such a society everyone is united in establishing and continuing the colony. As long as everyone is dependent on, and acts justly towards each other, the colony would have no need for "Government" or "Laws".
Gradually, as the difficulties of establishing the colony are overcome, the need to depend on each other decreases and, as Paine puts it, "they will begin to relax in their duty and attachment to each other". It is at this point, since people are "imperfect", that the need for some type of "Government" will become necessary. Paine sees society as a "blessing", or "patron" and government as a "punisher" of our "vices". We also begin to see here the true measure of "government", Power!
In this first form of government the colony will be small enough that each person will have a "seat" and that the first rules, or regulations will be enforced simply by peer pressure. As the colony continues to grow, however, it will become impractical for everyone to meet, in one place and at one time, so the need to choose (elect) a few individuals to handle public matters for the rest becomes logical. As the colony continues to increase, in size and population, it also becomes logical to break it into "convenient parts" with each part sending a number of elected representatives, in some fair proportion, to represent them in the, now larger, government.
As you can see it is fairly evident where the original principles of our American form of government originated. Additionally, according to Paine, there are three important aspects that are absolutely necessary for this type of representative government to work:
1. Those elected "...are supposed to have the same concerns at stake which those have who appointed
them, and who will act in the same manner as the whole body would act were they present."
2. Have elections often "...that the elected might never form to themselves an interest separate
from the electors..." (can you say "Washington Political Elites")
3. Finally, "...on this...depends the strength of government, and the happiness of the governed."
In summary, Paine demonstrates the difference between society and government and clearly states his opinion of both:
"Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer." [bold emphasis added]
This pamphlet has been described as “the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era.” and, in comparison to the population at the time, it sold more copies, and was read by more people, than any other book in American history. In his phamphlet Paine addresses two basic terms we need to understand, "Society" and "Government".
Commiewood, and other revisionists, like to present us with a picture of early Americans as a bunch of ignorant woods runners and uneducated farmers. In truth, these people had a much more personal, and recent, experience with the attributes of different forms of society and government then most people do today. They also were relatively well informed and paid much more attention to these ideas and concepts then most people do today. As a result there was extensive debate, about the pros and cons of different types of society and government, and the result of these debates was the American form of government established by our founders.
Paine uses the hypothetical example of a group of people creating a new colony, that has no contact with anyone else, to demonstrate the concepts of society and government. In this colony the people must, by necessity, be united in the common cause of overcoming the obstacles of forming the colony. As such, it is to their benefit to come together as a "Society", to work together for the benefit of the group, as the needs of such a colony - food, shelter, protection, etcetera - could not be achieved by each individual trying to do it alone.
In this manner, Paine views society as a positive aspect of human behavior. One in which, even if for no other reason than survival, each individual acts responsibly and justly towards each other individual. In such a society everyone is united in establishing and continuing the colony. As long as everyone is dependent on, and acts justly towards each other, the colony would have no need for "Government" or "Laws".
Gradually, as the difficulties of establishing the colony are overcome, the need to depend on each other decreases and, as Paine puts it, "they will begin to relax in their duty and attachment to each other". It is at this point, since people are "imperfect", that the need for some type of "Government" will become necessary. Paine sees society as a "blessing", or "patron" and government as a "punisher" of our "vices". We also begin to see here the true measure of "government", Power!
In this first form of government the colony will be small enough that each person will have a "seat" and that the first rules, or regulations will be enforced simply by peer pressure. As the colony continues to grow, however, it will become impractical for everyone to meet, in one place and at one time, so the need to choose (elect) a few individuals to handle public matters for the rest becomes logical. As the colony continues to increase, in size and population, it also becomes logical to break it into "convenient parts" with each part sending a number of elected representatives, in some fair proportion, to represent them in the, now larger, government.
As you can see it is fairly evident where the original principles of our American form of government originated. Additionally, according to Paine, there are three important aspects that are absolutely necessary for this type of representative government to work:
1. Those elected "...are supposed to have the same concerns at stake which those have who appointed
them, and who will act in the same manner as the whole body would act were they present."
2. Have elections often "...that the elected might never form to themselves an interest separate
from the electors..." (can you say "Washington Political Elites")
3. Finally, "...on this...depends the strength of government, and the happiness of the governed."
In summary, Paine demonstrates the difference between society and government and clearly states his opinion of both:
"Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer." [bold emphasis added]
NEVER FORGET !
