Thomas Paine was born on February 9, 1737, in Thetford, United Kingdom. He was an English-born American Founding Father, a French Revolutionary, an inventor, a political philosopher, and a statesman. He was also a pivotal Enlightenment thinker and revolutionary writer, whose pamphlets, most notably "Common Sense," directly inspired the American independence movement and influenced the French Revolution. May these Thomas Paine quotes and sayings offer powerful, enduring inspiration about courage, liberty, and the duty to act for a better future.
1. “A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.” – Thomas Paine
2. “The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark.” – Thomas Paine
3. “Whatever is my right as a man is also the right of another; and it becomes my duty to guarantee as well as to possess.” – Thomas Paine
4. “An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.” – Thomas Paine
5. “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.” – Thomas Paine
6. “Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.” – Thomas Paine
7. “We have it in our power to begin the world over again.” – Thomas Paine
8. “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
9. “The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.” – Thomas Paine
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10. “The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is reason.” – Thomas Paine
11. “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
12. “When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.” – Thomas Paine
13. “He who dares not offend cannot be honest.” – Thomas Paine
14. “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.” – Thomas Paine
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15. “If I do not believe as you believe, it proves that you do not believe as I believe, and that is all that it proves.” – Thomas Paine
16. “To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.” – Thomas Paine
17. “One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests.” – Thomas Paine
18. “Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.” – Thomas Paine
19. “It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies; yet our present numbers are sufficient to repel the force of all the world.” – Thomas Paine
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20. “We can only reason from what is; we can reason on actualities, but not on possibilities.” – Thomas Paine
21. “My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.” – Thomas Paine
22. “Virtues are acquired through endeavor, which rests wholly upon yourself. So, to praise others for their virtues Can but encourage one's own efforts.” – Thomas Paine
23. “It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.” – Thomas Paine
24. “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” – Thomas Paine
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25. “The more men have to lose, the less willing are they to venture.” – Thomas Paine
26. “It is the direction and not the magnitude which is to be taken into consideration.” – Thomas Paine
27. “Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society.” – Thomas Paine
28. “When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.” – Thomas Paine
29. “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.” – Thomas Paine
30. “It is an affront to treat falsehood with complaisance.” – Thomas Paine
More Famous Quotes by Thomas Paine
31. “I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.” – Thomas Paine
32. “Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be true.” – Thomas Paine
33. “Every religion is good that teaches man to be good; and I know of none that instructs him to be bad.” – Thomas Paine
34. “The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.” – Thomas Paine
35. “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” – Thomas Paine
36. “Man cannot make principles, he can only discover them.” – Thomas Paine
37. “He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.” – Thomas Paine
38. “Moderation in temper, is always a virtue; but moderation in principle, is a species of vice.” – Thomas Paine
39. “Titles are but nicknames, and every nickname is a title.” – Thomas Paine
40. “Time makes more converts than reason.” – Thomas Paine
41. “Men should not petition for rights, but take them.” – Thomas Paine
42. “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.” – Thomas Paine
43. “Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.” – Thomas Paine
44. “I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.” – Thomas Paine
45. “I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace.” – Thomas Paine
46. “The cause of America is in great measure the cause of all mankind.” – Thomas Paine
47. “The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act.” – Thomas Paine
48. “Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.” – Thomas Paine
49. “As in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be King.” – Thomas Paine
50. “Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a false system of Government.” – Thomas Paine
51. “My own mind is my own church.” – Thomas Paine
52. “But such is the irresistable nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants is the liberty of appearing.” – Thomas Paine
53. “To say that any people are not fit for freedom, is to make poverty their choice, and to say they had rather be loaded with taxes than not.” – Thomas Paine
54. “Human nature is not of itself vicious.” – Thomas Paine
Share these Best Thomas Paine Quotes about Life with your friends, family, and loved ones to inspire them as well.
2. “The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark.” – Thomas Paine
3. “Whatever is my right as a man is also the right of another; and it becomes my duty to guarantee as well as to possess.” – Thomas Paine
4. “An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.” – Thomas Paine
5. “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.” – Thomas Paine
6. “Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.” – Thomas Paine
7. “We have it in our power to begin the world over again.” – Thomas Paine
8. “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
9. “The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.” – Thomas Paine
11. “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
12. “When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.” – Thomas Paine
13. “He who dares not offend cannot be honest.” – Thomas Paine
14. “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.” – Thomas Paine
16. “To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.” – Thomas Paine
17. “One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests.” – Thomas Paine
18. “Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.” – Thomas Paine
19. “It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies; yet our present numbers are sufficient to repel the force of all the world.” – Thomas Paine
21. “My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.” – Thomas Paine
22. “Virtues are acquired through endeavor, which rests wholly upon yourself. So, to praise others for their virtues Can but encourage one's own efforts.” – Thomas Paine
23. “It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.” – Thomas Paine
24. “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” – Thomas Paine
26. “It is the direction and not the magnitude which is to be taken into consideration.” – Thomas Paine
27. “Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society.” – Thomas Paine
28. “When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.” – Thomas Paine
29. “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.” – Thomas Paine
30. “It is an affront to treat falsehood with complaisance.” – Thomas Paine
More Famous Quotes by Thomas Paine
31. “I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.” – Thomas Paine
32. “Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be true.” – Thomas Paine
33. “Every religion is good that teaches man to be good; and I know of none that instructs him to be bad.” – Thomas Paine
34. “The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.” – Thomas Paine
35. “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” – Thomas Paine
36. “Man cannot make principles, he can only discover them.” – Thomas Paine
37. “He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.” – Thomas Paine
38. “Moderation in temper, is always a virtue; but moderation in principle, is a species of vice.” – Thomas Paine
39. “Titles are but nicknames, and every nickname is a title.” – Thomas Paine
40. “Time makes more converts than reason.” – Thomas Paine
41. “Men should not petition for rights, but take them.” – Thomas Paine
42. “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.” – Thomas Paine
43. “Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.” – Thomas Paine
44. “I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.” – Thomas Paine
45. “I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace.” – Thomas Paine
46. “The cause of America is in great measure the cause of all mankind.” – Thomas Paine
47. “The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act.” – Thomas Paine
48. “Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.” – Thomas Paine
49. “As in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be King.” – Thomas Paine
50. “Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a false system of Government.” – Thomas Paine
51. “My own mind is my own church.” – Thomas Paine
52. “But such is the irresistable nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants is the liberty of appearing.” – Thomas Paine
53. “To say that any people are not fit for freedom, is to make poverty their choice, and to say they had rather be loaded with taxes than not.” – Thomas Paine
54. “Human nature is not of itself vicious.” – Thomas Paine
Share these Best Thomas Paine Quotes about Life with your friends, family, and loved ones to inspire them as well.