Question

How was paine’s talent for persuasion a major cause of unhappiness?

Answer 1

Thomas Paine became famous for his pamphlet Common sense, in which he exhorted the Americans to cease to change the British policies and instead seek their independence. He served in the Revolutionary war, writing pamphlets to boost the soldiers spirit.

He returned to England in 1787 and authored a pamphlet, The rights of man, praising the French Revolution. He went too far and called to overthrow the British monarchy, for which he was forced to flee to France to avoid prison. There, he helped to write the French Constitution but was put in jail when he opposed the execution of Louis XVI. He began writing The age of reason in which he criticized the organized religion. Back in the United States, he was ostracized because of this criticism of Christianity.

Although this shows that he had an incredible talent of persuasion, he only got along with it when it matched the public's opinion during the time of the American Revolution. His later pamphlets didn't resonate as much as Common sense, and caused him several difficulties.