The Ghost of Thomas Paine

I like Thomas Paine. No, he's not an Anarchist. I consider him a proto-Anarchist, since he predates Proudhon. He embodies the unique echelon of people who all Americans love even though they know nothing about them. Martin Luther King Jr is another member of this club.

Thomas Paine's two most exemplary works are Rights of Man and Age of Reason. Most people in America can name Common Sense as one of his works, but nothing else. If asked what his political beliefs are, most people would draw a blank. Others seem to think he would align with themselves, which is a common position for ignorant people and historical figures they know nothing about.

Paine was a radical. He was an abolitionist and promoted universal human rights. Paine denounced Christianity and organized religion as tools of oppression. The essay Agrarian Justice advocated for what is essentially Social Security, as well as a one time grant for everyone who turned eighteen. Paine advocated a progressive income tax to break up the aristocracy. He theorized that international conflicts could be solved by an organization like the UN. These positions would make him a left-Democrat today, but it was profoundly out of the box thinking for his time period. I think radicals need to reclaim Paine from the Tea Bagger crowd.