100 must-read books for college students

Chapter 49 Blowing the Battle Horn of the North American Independence Movement

Chapter 48 sounded the battle horn of the North American independence movement: "Common Sense"

To understand the revolutionary movement for independence in the North American colonies, it is necessary to understand the great guiding role and encouragement of this movement.

The famous work "Common Sense" with dance function.

Paine's "Common Sense" is a thin booklet, but it awakened the independent consciousness of the colonial people of British North America,

The people conveyed the message of revolution and sounded the clarion call of independence.It is said that every literate American at the time had read Paine
of this booklet. The idea of ​​bourgeois democracy in "Common Sense" was clearly expressed in the "Declaration of Independence" drafted by Jefferson
Obviously reflected.

American scholar George Trevelyan believes: "It is difficult to find a book that has such a direct impact on the revolutionary process as "Common Sense".

A work with direct, wide-ranging, and lasting influence... "Common Sense" guided hundreds of millions of people into the struggle for independence and created the

miracle. "

"Timely Rain" is the battle horn

Thomas Paine (1737-1809), a theorist and bourgeois democrat during the American Revolutionary War

and enlightenment scholars.

"The world is my homeland", "The land that has not won freedom is my homeland everywhere" - with such beliefs

At the end of 1774, Thomas Paine, a 37-year-old British youth, traveled across the ocean and came to the North American continent.
The conflict between the people of the North American colonies and the British authorities became increasingly acute.Paine dedicated himself to the independence of the North American colonies from British rule
revolutionary movement.His main weapon is the sharp pen in his hand, which awakens the independent consciousness of the colonial people.war of independence
After the first shot of the war was fired, Paine wrote the book "Common Sense" with great enthusiasm.
50 copies were sold within the period (the total population of the North American colonies at that time was only 260 million).It is said that every literate American at that time had read Pan
En's booklet.

Democratic republic ruled by law

The book consists of "general discussion on the origin and purpose of political power, and a brief comment on the British political system", "discussion on monarchy and hereditary", "concerning the purpose of North America

It is composed of four parts: Opinions on the Current Situation" and "On the Current Capabilities of North America".

The book begins with the origins of government.Paine believed that government did not always exist, it was due to people signing each other

It is established by contract, and it is an entity above the people. It is also established in accordance with the provisions of the country's constitution.
standing.At the same time, he differentiated the government from the society, and believed that the society is produced by people's desire, which makes people one and the same
The heart, which actively promotes the happiness of the people, and the government, which is born of the evil of the people, checks the evil of the people,
The government passively promotes the happiness of the people.One is to encourage communication; the other is to create differences, the former is a rewarder, the latter

Face is a punisher.Paine explained the establishment of the government in detail, and believed that the reason why people want to establish a government is that people
The needs of life are dictated by human nature, and the government is designed to make people fulfill their social obligations and make up for their shortcomings in virtue.

Caused.He said that the inhabitants of the colonies constituted society for the mutual happiness which they derived from social life, and only
Laws and governments are not necessary for men to always treat each other with sincerity.

Paine pointed out that the purpose and intention of people to establish a government is to protect people's freedom and safety.He believed that people always
The lesser of two evils.In his opinion, any form that seems most likely to keep us safe, provided that it costs the least and

The greatest benefit is that which all others are willing to accept.

Regarding the form of government, Paine divided the national form of government into two categories, the first is a democratic republic, and the second is a monarchy or
tribal regime.The former is an electoral and representative regime, while the latter is a hereditary succession.He pointed out that these two different and opposite

Governments are founded on two different and opposite foundations, reason and ignorance.Because the operation of the government requires talents and capabilities
, and talents and abilities cannot be hereditary and hereditary, although hereditary inheritance requires a kind of belief in people, people's reason cannot

Approval and can only be based on the ignorance of the people, and the more ignorant any country is, the more suitable it is for such a government.on the contrary,
A well-organized republic requires no belief beyond what men's reason can comprehend.Paine believed that a democratic republic is the most ideal

understanding, support, and the best use of talents; while monarchy or aristocratic systems rely on people's ignorance to rule ignorantly.
rule without the aid of reason and freedom of action.

Paine criticized the British monarchy. He pointed out that in this system, first of all, a person is prevented from obtaining a wide range of knowledge, but

and empowers him to settle those questions which require a very judicious judgment.The status of the king kept him out of the world, and the king's
His job required him to know everything.These two different aspects, therefore, by their unreasonable hostility and destruction to each other, prove
That whole character is absurd and useless.The king of England is the overwhelming part of the British government, he only gives people
Only by his status and allowances did he gain all his power.The will of the King of England is law and his will is passed through Parliament

Terrible form handed over to the people.In the system of all things in the universe, human beings are originally equal, and this equality is due to rich and poor

difference is destroyed.There is also a distinction that destroys equality, and is the division of people into "kings" and "subjects."These

The difference raises the question whether they bring happiness or misery to human beings.elevate one's status
Much higher than the rest, from the natural principle of equal rights, is groundless, and has no reason to defend it.

According to the "Bible", there were no emperors in the ancient society of the world.Monarchy listed in Bible as one of Jewish sins
, and prophesied what misfortune this evil would bring.

Paine believed that the most ideal form of government after the American Revolution was a democratic republic, specifically, it implemented representative democracy in the United States.

Since the representative system is based on society and civilization, it is guided by nature, rationality and experience, and is in line with the fundamental principles of the people.

Benefit.He believes that the ancient democracies did not know what the representative system was.According to this democracy, the majority gathers

Together, make the law with No.1 title.Simple democracies are nothing but communal mess halls in antiquity.It not only reflects the public

It is principled and reflects the form of government.According to Paine, democracy, aristocracy, monarchy and what is now called representation are
There are only several forms of government, pointing out that the representative system is the republican government, and the representative system is the best and most consistent with the requirements of human rationality.

The government, the republic is not a special government system.Paine believes that the superiority of the representative system has 10 aspects: first,

The representative system is based on society and civilization, guided by nature, reason and experience. The hereditary system is absurd and unfair.

And contrary to human wisdom and rights.Second, the representative system concentrates the wisdom it discovers, aiming to produce the wisest

law.Third, the representative system is different from the ancient democracy. In the ancient democracy, there was no such thing as representation.
Laws will be enacted under No.1 title (in terms of grammar).Fourth, the so-called republic does not mean any special form of government, but means the establishment of a government.

Should have its purpose, thing or purpose.Hence the need for government.

Fifth, the representative system can concentrate the interests of some and all
The knowledge which keeps the government in a state of perpetual maturity.As has been said, neither young nor old; neither
Childish and not old; neither in a cradle nor in a crutch.No separation of knowledge and power is permitted, and government should always prevail over

all accidents and misfortunes of the people of the country, and is therefore superior to so-called monarchy; sixthly, the representative system, like the state itself, has a
A permanent energy, like that of body and mind, appears in the public theater of the world in a fair and frank formula.

Everyone can see its advantages and disadvantages. This kind of system does not exist by deceit and mystery.
Debate, and inspire a language that can be felt with the heart.Seventh, Representation is always in harmony with the order and immutable laws of nature.

The laws are not contradictory, fully catering to rationality.The sovereignty of any country is the legislative power and the rest is a department.Eighth, the U.S. Constitution

Another reform of the law is to abolish all oaths of allegiance to individuals, only to swear allegiance to the country, and regard any person as the master of the country
are inappropriate.The first aim should be the happiness of the nation.Therefore, an oath of allegiance intent should not be viewed as

Obscure oaths or oaths to anyone.Ninth, human rights are the rights of all generations and cannot be
Whoever monopolizes, what is worth imitating must be imitated, because it has value.Nature is the friend of man, humanity itself is not
not evil.Tenth, government, like everything that has to do with human beings, should welcome improvement and not be fooled from generation to generation by the stupidest.

The ignorant and the most wicked of men.

Here, Paine also believes that to truly realize the purpose of a republican government, it is necessary to insist on the implementation of the representative system and oppose the monarchy.

In particular, the principle of hereditary system must be opposed.

Paine believes that there are three kinds of law: namely: natural law, positive law and customary law.He asserted that there are natural laws and customs in any society

They are the ties that connect people's lives.A society cannot be maintained without the regulation of laws, and of course the state as a body politic
Every family must also have its own laws.Paine believed that most of the laws governing human beings are not the result of government, but the source

Based on the principles of society and the natural organization of man, it predates government.If forms of government are abolished, these social decencies
still exists.In the political society, the adjustment of legal norms is even more necessary. Therefore, a constitution must be formulated first.because the constitution is legal

For the main part, it is something that precedes government, and government is only a product of the constitution.A country's constitution is not a decision of the government

, but a people's resolution to establish a government.The content of the constitution is: including the principles on which the government is established, the organizational form of the government,
The powers of the government, the manner of elections, the term of office of parliament or whatever it is called, the executive branch of the government

power of the door.The Constitution, therefore, is to the government what the laws which it subsequently enacts are to the courts.

The courts do not make laws, nor change them, but act only as they have been made, and in the same way the government is governed by the Constitution.
constraint.

Paine advocated the rule of law, and usually divided the government into three major departments.

Discussion, this is the legislation, administration and judiciary.

The principle of law is justice.The law must be supported by the justice of principle and the interest of the people in it; if the law

If you want something else, it shows that there is something wrong with the system of government.Any law that is difficult to enforce is generally not good law.

Legislative power is the supreme power of the country. The highest power in any country is the power to formulate laws, and the others are public departments.

Paine also distinguished laws from general bills, and believed that laws are bills, but not all bills are laws.from
Bills become law, must be passed by the legislature, and have general significance.On the Inevitability of Victory in the Revolutionary War and North America
Regarding the vision of the new regime after the independence of the colonies, he believed that North America had a vast territory, abundant resources, a large population, weapons and well-trained soldiers.
, the army strength is more than enough to deal with the British army, and it is in the interest of the people of the North American continent to get rid of British independence.Independence is born sooner or later

However, the longer the delay, the more difficult it will be to achieve independence.We must use the skills we learned from participating in the Anglo-French war to win as soon as possible

this war.The outbreak of the War of Independence has heralded a new historical period in the development of North America and the beginning of a new political

era.After North America became independent, how to establish its own political system, political thinkers will take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to display their own
Use your talents to great effect.Of course, we should also learn from the experience and lessons of other countries in order to deal with this issue more properly.
.In Paine’s view, after North America’s independence, it is natural to establish a unified and republican continental government, and its system should be representative.
Parliamentary democracy.The parliamentary representatives should be produced on average, the number should not be too small, and the principle of passing laws by a three-fifths majority should be adhered to.set up
Establish a colonial assembly of rulers and ruled to draw up a constitution.

Paine's "Common Sense" Revolutionary Must Read

Paine's "Common Sense" published in January 1776 had a huge impact on North American society and even the entire Western society.
"Common Sense" blew the clarion call against the British colonial rule, for freedom and independence, and aroused the turbulent tide of independence.
flow.After Franklin read it, he excitedly called it "a work of genius", and immediately asked people to buy 100 copies and send them to his friends.Jeff

Johnson hurriedly sent an express courier to deliver "Common Sense" to Washington, who was directing operations at the front, and Washington gave it a very high evaluation:
"Common Sense will bring about a profound change in the psychology of many, including him . . . the spirit of freedom is in our hearts
Boiling up, we cannot submit to be slaves,...we are determined to sever everything with such an unjust and immoral country

relation. "Half a year after the publication of "Common Sense", that is, on July 1776, 7, the Second Continental Congress of North America passed the Jefferson drafted
"Declaration of Independence", the United States of America officially announced the birth, and the bourgeois democratic ideas in "Common Sense" appeared in "Common Sense"

There are obvious reflections in the Declaration of Independence, which is actually the herald of the Declaration of Independence.

In his book "200 Years of Events in the United States", the American historian Linton put "common sense"

Listed as the first major event in American history in the past 200 years.To this day, people all over the world still believe that it is the

The spiritual weapon of the independent revolution, a must-read for studying the United States.

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