Thomas Paine Quotes

Most popular Thomas Paine Quotes

Youth is the seed-time of good habits, as well in nations as in individuals. - Thomas Paine quote.
Youth is the seed-time of good habits, as well in nations as in individuals.
— Thomas Paine Common Sense

habit youth

My country is the world. - Thomas Paine quote.
My country is the world.
— Thomas Paine
Time makes more converts than reason. - Thomas Paine quote.
Time makes more converts than reason.
— Thomas Paine

time

These are the times that try men's souls. - Thomas Paine quote.
These are the times that try men's souls.
— Thomas Paine
Where there is no danger, cowards are bold. - Thomas Paine quote.
Where there is no danger, cowards are bold.
— Thomas Paine Aurora

cowardice

The belief in a cruel god makes a cruel man. - Thomas Paine quote.
The belief in a cruel god makes a cruel man.
— Thomas Paine A Vindication of Thomas Paine

God

Character is much easier kept than recovered. - Thomas Paine quote.
Character is much easier kept than recovered.
— Thomas Paine The American Crisis

character

Every religion is good that teaches man to be good. - Thomas Paine quote.
Every religion is good that teaches man to be good.

religion

We have it in our power to begin the world over again. - Thomas Paine quote.
We have it in our power to begin the world over again.
— Thomas Paine

change the world

My country is the world, and my religion is to do good. - Thomas Paine quote.
My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.

religion

It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry. - Thomas Paine quote.
It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.
— Thomas Paine

truth mistakes error

Governments arise either out of the people or over the people. - Thomas Paine quote.
Governments arise either out of the people or over the people.
— Thomas Paine
I am a farmer of thoughts, and all the crops I raise I give away. - Thomas Paine quote.
I am a farmer of thoughts, and all the crops I raise I give away.
— Thomas Paine

thoughts

The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is Reason. - Thomas Paine quote.
The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is Reason.
— Thomas Paine The Age of Reason

reason error

A man may write himself out of reputation when nobody else can do it. - Thomas Paine quote.
A man may write himself out of reputation when nobody else can do it.

reputation

An army of principles will penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot. - Thomas Paine quote.
An army of principles will penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.
— Thomas Paine

principles

Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it. - Thomas Paine quote.
Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.

ignorance

The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance. - Thomas Paine quote.
The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.
— Thomas Paine

tyranny

It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. - Thomas Paine quote.
It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself.
— Thomas Paine The Age of Reason

happiness

He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression. - Thomas Paine quote.
He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression.
— Thomas Paine

freedom

Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice. - Thomas Paine quote.
Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.
— Thomas Paine
Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us. - Thomas Paine quote.
Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.
— Thomas Paine
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo the fatigue of supporting it. - Thomas Paine quote.
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
— Thomas Paine

freedom duty

A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right. - Thomas Paine quote.
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
— Thomas Paine

morals

Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one. - Thomas Paine quote.
Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.
— Thomas Paine Common Sense

government

What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. - Thomas Paine quote.
What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.
— Thomas Paine
Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child cannot be a true system. - Thomas Paine quote.
Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child cannot be a true system.
— Thomas Paine The Age of Reason

religion

Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it. - Thomas Paine quote.
Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.
— Thomas Paine

freedom

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. - Thomas Paine quote.
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
— Thomas Paine

freedom

When the government fears the people, it is liberty. When the people fear the government, it is tyranny. - Thomas Paine quote.
When the government fears the people, it is liberty. When the people fear the government, it is tyranny.
— Thomas Paine
Such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing. - Thomas Paine quote.
Such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.

truth

But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing. - Thomas Paine quote.
But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.
— Thomas Paine
I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. - Thomas Paine quote.
I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.
— Thomas Paine

trouble

He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death. - Thomas Paine quote.
He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death.
— Thomas Paine The American Crisis, 1776–83

war

Society in every state is a blessing, but government, ever in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one. - Thomas Paine quote.
Society in every state is a blessing, but government, ever in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.
— Thomas Paine
A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice. - Thomas Paine quote.
A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.
— Thomas Paine

principles temper moderation

Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good. - Thomas Paine quote.
Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good.

happiness helping others

Most other passions have their periods of fatigue and rest; their suffering and their cure; but obstinacy has no resource, and the first wound is mortal. - Thomas Paine quote.
Most other passions have their periods of fatigue and rest; their suffering and their cure; but obstinacy has no resource, and the first wound is mortal.
— Thomas Paine

obstinacy

Persecution is not an original feature of any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of any law-religions, or religions established by law. - Thomas Paine quote.
Persecution is not an original feature of any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of any law-religions, or religions established by law.

religion and politics persecution

Men do not enter into society to become worse than they were before, nor to have fewer rights than they had before, but to have those rights better secured. - Thomas Paine quote.
Men do not enter into society to become worse than they were before, nor to have fewer rights than they had before, but to have those rights better secured.
— Thomas Paine
There are matters in the Bible, said to be done by the express commandment of God, that are shocking to humanity and to every idea we have of moral justice. - Thomas Paine quote.
There are matters in the Bible, said to be done by the express commandment of God, that are shocking to humanity and to every idea we have of moral justice.
— Thomas Paine

Bible

I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavouring to make our fellow-creatures happy. - Thomas Paine quote.
I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavouring to make our fellow-creatures happy.
— Thomas Paine

equality

There are two distinct classes of what are called Thoughts: those that we produce in ourselves by reflection and the act of thinking, and those that bolt into the mind of their own accord. - Thomas Paine quote.
There are two distinct classes of what are called Thoughts: those that we produce in ourselves by reflection and the act of thinking, and those that bolt into the mind of their own accord.
— Thomas Paine The Age of Reason

thoughts

All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit. - Thomas Paine quote.
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
— Thomas Paine

power

A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be.  Moderation in temper is always a virtue, but moderation in principle is always a vice.

moderation

He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself.
— Thomas Paine

freedom

It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself.  Infidelity does not consist in believing or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.
— Thomas Paine The Age of Reason

integrity