The Writings of Thomas Paine, Volume II

stitution of man. It existed prior to government, and would exist if the formality of government was abolished. The mutual dependence and reciprocal in

om the other, and from the whole. Common interest regulates their concerns, and forms their law; and the laws which common usage ordains, h

d him for the station she intended. In all cases she made his natural wants greater than his individual powers. No one man is capable, without the aid of societ

er can supply, but she has implanted in him a system of social affections, which, though not necessary to his existence, are es

ts in different men for reciprocally accommodating the wants of each other, his propensity to society, and consequently to preser

e not conveniently competent; and instances are not wanting to show, that everything which governmen

ed in defence to employ its attention in establishing new governments; yet during this interval order and harmony were preserved as inviolate as in any country in Europe. There is a natural aptness in man, and more so in society, because it embrace

which it had committed to its government, devolves again upon itself, and acts through its medium. When men, as well from natural instinct as from reciprocal benefits, have habituated themselves to social and civilised life, there is alway

iples of society and civilisation-to the common usage universally consented to, and mutually and reciprocally maintained-to the unceasing circulation of interest, which, passing through its million channels, invigorate

on they ought to diminish. It is but few general laws that civilised life requires, and those of such common usefulness, that whether they are enforced by the forms of government or not, the effect will be nearly the same. If we consider what the principles are that first

iety are laws of nature. Those of trade and commerce, whether with respect to the intercourse of individuals or of nations, are laws of mutual and reciprocal intere

When the latter, instead of being ingrafted on the principles of the former, assumes to exist for itself, a

discontents and disorders which otherwise would not have existed. In those associations which men promiscuously form for the purpose of trade, or of any concern in which government is totally out of the question, and in which they act merely on the principles of society, we see how naturally the various parties un

ent, they are constantly on the brink of commotion; and deprived, as they unfortunately are, of the means of information, are easily heated to outrage. Whatever the apparent cause of

its of government, speaking different languages, and more different in their modes of worship, it would appear that the union of such a people was impracticable; but by the simple operation of constructing government on the principles of society and the rights of man, every difficulty retires, and all the parts are brought

managed by fraud, others by force, and all by some contrivance; that genius must be hired to impose upon ignorance, and show and parade to fascinate the vulga

f governments. All the revolutions till then had been worked within the atmosphere of a court, and never on the grand floor of a nation. The p

s understood; and they hid from the understanding of the nation the only thing that was beneficial to kno

almost everything necessary to its protection and government, it will be proper, on the other hand, to take a re