Alexis Poche

AP Language and Composition

1A
April 28, 2014
The Painstaking Truth of Thomas Paines Rights of Man
Throughout the years the United States has taken a drastic change. Our government has
been reshaped by constant reformation, which is why many few things remain the same. The
points stated in Thomas Paines Rights of Man such as social unity still holds true today while
the government and economic privileges stated have become flawed.
Americas social unity has remained the same throughout history. Many people around
the world come to the United States due to the opportunity to allow anyone,no matter your
background, to be successful. The United States is one of the most diverse countries in the
world. However, the diversity in the 1700s is different to the diversity today. In the 1700s, the
diversity Paine speaks about is the diversity of the european based cultures whereas now, the
diversity has spread to include members from every region of the world. In Paines writing, he
gives examples on how the American society is unified and characterizes it in a utopian fashion.
He mentions that the american government was constructed to maintain the principles of
society, the principles being to keep America unified. Allowing the people of the society to
speak their language and their mind, and to share it their thoughts and feelings with their
community, without any persecution or fear of the government is what Paine coneys as the a
reason why America is so strong . Another example of unification is the acceptance of worship
choice. America, then and now, accepts a person to join under the label as american without
being discriminated against due to the persons worship and belief practices.
The government today, and the government described by Paine in Rights of Man are not
the same. In the book, Thomas Paine illustrates the government of his time as just. To no
extent whatsoever is this still prevalent today. Thomas Paines description of the government
during the new dawn of America changed and went against the basic ideas of the founding
fathers. The poor are in fact oppressed, as opposed to the poor in Paines time. In modern
society, people have different privileges due to their social status. Paine states that citizens in
America would never protest and there is nothing in the government that would anger the
people. These statements of the 1700s do not hold truth today due to the citizens of America
now all acknowledging the fact that the government is corrupt and biased and the citizens have
many protests and rallies to show how they urge the government to change. The perfect and
just government Paine describes has devolved into a corrupt system.
In conclusion, Thomas Paine illustrates America in his book, Rights of Man, as an almost
perfect society. Some of his examples, like the social unity and acceptance of new cultures, still
holds true. However, other points of his, including the government being just and the class
equality, have become corrupt to the extent that they no longer reflect what was originally
conveyed by him.