Free Essay. The Arguments of Thomas Paine for Independence

Thomas Paine is one of the famous writers and persuasive rhetoricians of the cause of independence. His early years acted as a preparation for supporting revolution.in his work Common Sense; he rallied the colonists to support the detachment from Britain. He claims that his quest for independence is not out of pride but conscientiously persuasion that independence is the true interest of his continent (Paine, 2008). In arguing for independence in America, he denounced the monarchy claiming that people are in a state of equality (Paine, 2008). Paine as an advocate on natural rights theory he claims that there are no natural rulers among individuals. Paine proposed a system of representative government for the colonies.

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Ben Franklin’s use of satire

Benjamin Franklin is a renowned writer whose works represent the metamorphosis of New England literary culture from Puritan to Yankee. One of his famous works is The Way to Wealth, a collection of sayings and advice given to the poor. Franklin makes use of humor and irony as well as exaggeration to criticize and ridicule social, political, and personal issues of that period (Franklin, 1848). He points out that the majority of the American colonialist of his time were complaining about monetary matters. Yet, they were less inclined to working hard and save money for their financial stability. He quotes the famous lines" early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise, god helps those who help themselves"( Franklin, 1848). He was humorously attacking the colonists, challenging them to work hard and earn their wealth.

Ben Franklin and Pragmatism

Ben Franklin laid a foundation for the dominant American philosophy, pragmatism. He has contributed significantly to the field of Science, diplomacy, and the economy in America. He uses his autobiography to show a story of a man who transforms from rags to riches, which shows a pragmatic spirit. This sprit is related to his life experience and the environment he was living in during the 18th century American context. Franklin’s pragmatism represents the criteria for evaluating practical benefits, experimental strategies, and absolute positioning for human development (Campbell, 1995). Pragmatism demonstrated by Franklin, regardless of being related to his life experience it is rooted in the philosophical historical and cultural foundation that influenced the formation of American national character.

References

Campbell, J. (1995). The Pragmatism of Benjamin Franklin. Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society, 31(4), 745-792. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40320571

Franklin, B. (1848). Franklin's Way to Wealth: or'Poor Richard Improved'. W. and T. Darton. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=5gpWCgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT8&dq=Ben+Franklin+The+Way+to+Wealth+&ots=SCalZt37m2&sig=Ai3Zb4bVUFoG1Roy96C4Ifob7Hw

Paine, T. (2008). Rights of Man, Common Sense, and other political writings. Oxford University Press. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=slgVDAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR6&dq=+The+arguments+of+Thomas+Paine+for+independence+in+his+work+common+sense&ots=v1JPQSxiNL&sig=59Tmvmh70xKb1M_PmNAGufrgABU