Comparing Paine And Burke's Views

The Rights of Man is a collection of several articles which insights radical political revolution when a country’s current government is not maintaining and protecting the rights of its society. The book was widely accepted, reprinted and distributed in support of the French revolution and was read aloud in coffee houses and inns in the newfound ‘coffee house culture’. The document states that ‘every age and generation must be as free to act for itself, in all cases, as the ages and generations which preceded it’. This extract therefore opposes the idea that government is hereditary and current society should be entitled to choose their own laws which to be governed by. It was due to ideas such as these that Paine was eventually tried in
Paine argued that the French revolution was to be expected as a continuation of a new era of human history, but Burke argued that the revolution brought the risk of devolving into a barbaric society and promoted the destruction of a nation’s social fabric. Paine’s beliefs that the government’s political principles of enlightenment was to protect individuals liberty and equality however Burke disagreed and was a non-believer of abstract principles guaranteeing liberty. He believed humans were a product of their environment, institutions and communities. Burke believed that the traditions of institutions were able to provide public safety. This is why Paine states he is contending for the rights of the living, he states that it is societies decision to choose their
As an avid supporter of the French revolution and the American Constitution he was keen to propose reformations of the English government. Paine suggested the elimination of all aristocratic titles because he believed that ‘when a man ceases to be, his power and his wants cease with him’ . Paine also suggested lower taxes for the poor alongside a subsidised education for their children and also a progressive income tax weighted against wealthy estates to prevent the emergence of a hereditary aristocracy. This follows Paine’s argument that once an individual has passed away his wealth, power and inheritance is no longer valid. This counteracts Burke’s ideas that tradition is the correct way for