Quote

Society is produced by our wants, and government by wickedness the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.

Thomas Paine

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Thomas Paine
Age: 72 †
Born: 1737
Born: January 29
Died: 1809
Died: June 8
Author
Entrepreneur
Journalist
Opinion Journalist
Philosopher
Politician
Prosaist
Writer
Thetford
Norfolk
Happiness
Latter
Distinctions
Last
Creates
Encourages
Vices
Affections
Punisher
Government
Affection
Intercourse
Restraining
Firsts
Former
Wickedness
Negatively
First
Wants
Positively
Uniting
Society
Produced
Promotes
Lasts
Distinction
Patron

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Where there are no distinctions there can be no superiority perfect equality affords no temptation.
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The reformation was preceded by the discovery of America, as if the Almighty graciously meant to open a sanctuary to the persecuted in future years, when home should afford neither friendship nor safety.
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The final event to himself has been, that as he rose like a rocket, he fell like the stick.
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I draw my idea of the form of government from a principle in nature, which no art can overturn, viz. that the more simple any thing is, the less liable it is to be disordered and the easier repaired when disordered.
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I believe in one God, and no more and I hope for happiness beyond this life. I believe in the equality of humans and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow creatures happy.
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Titles do not count with posterity.
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In the progress of politics, as in the common occurrences of life, we are not only apt to forget the ground we have travelled over, but frequently neglect to gather up experiences as we go.
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A share in two revolutions is living to some purpose.
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There is a happiness in Deism, when rightly understood, that is not to be found inany other system of religion. All other systems have something in them that either shock our reason, or are repugnant to it, and man, if he thinks at all, must stifle his reason in order to force himself to believe them.
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I disbelieve all holy men and holy books.
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Religion is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize humankind and, for my part, I sincerely detest it as I detest everything that is cruel.
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The danger to which the success of revolutions is most exposed, is that of attempting them before the principles on which they proceed, and the advantages to result from them, are sufficiently seen and understood.
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Where knowledge is a duty, ignorance is a crime.
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Reputation is what men and women think of us character is what God and angels know of us.
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As my object was not myself, I set out with the determination, and happily with the disposition, of not being moved by praise or censure, friendship or calumny, nor of being drawn from my purpose by any personal altercation and the man who cannot do this, is not fit for a public character.
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For freemen like brothers agree With one spirit endured, they one friendship pursued, And their temple was Liberty Tree
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If there was ever a just war since the world began, it is this in which America is now engaged.
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Moderation in temper is always a virtue but moderation in principle is always a vice.
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I do not believe in the creed professed by any church that I know of. Each of these churches accuse the other of unbelief and for my part, I disbelieve them all.
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He, who survives his reputation, lives out of despite himself, like a man listening to his own reproach.
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