Tom Paine
Tom Paine, (1737-1809). US political philosopher and ‘writer. Born into a Quaker family in Thetford, Nor-folk, Paine initially followed his father’s trade of corset maker. In 1774 lit emigrated to Philadelphia, where he began to Write radical journalism. After the outbreak of the American Revolution (1/75-83) he became famous with his pamphlet Common Sense (1776), which argued for immediate independence. Having returned to Britain in 1787, he published The Rights of Man (1791-92), a defence of the French Revolution. His call for a similar revolution in Britain led to his indictment for treason, forcing him to flee to France.’ As a member of the French National Convention (1792-93) he opposed the execution of Louis XVI and urged moderation. This led to his imprisonment during the Terror (1794-95). While in prison he completed The Age of Reason (1794-96), an attack on Christianity that alienated most of Paine’s supporters in the US. He returned to America in 1802 but died in poverty and neglect.
