Thomas Paine, Bridgebuilder
Thomas Paine had many talents beyond writing, but the most surprising and under-appreciated was his aptitude for engineering.
Author Archives: Dave Benner
Thomas Paine, The First American Whistleblower
In 2013, Edward Snowden’s revelations about the invasive natural of the American surveillance state raised many questions about the state secrecy, the morality of state whistleblowing, and the role of government in general. What many don’t realize, however, was that the same dynamics were also at play during the American War for Independence, where Thomas […]
Thomas Paine, Abolitionist
In 1774, there was nothing more extreme than a belief in the abolition of slavery. Nevertheless, before there was Common Sense and The Rights of Man, there was Thomas Paine the abolitionist.
Thomas Paine, Tax Collector?
What would you think if I told you that America’s banner-waver of the American Revolution – often described as a “tax revolt” – was actually a tax collector? Well, I don’t have to allege it, because it’s true.
The Political Influence of James Wilson’s State House Yard Speech
Despite his own ideological proclivities, Wilson articulated the plain truth – that the Constitution was a federal model based on enumerated powers rather than general authority.
Political Centralization Ended the Roman Republic
In order to destroy the Republic in favor of empire, the new Roman dictators systematically dismantled the Republic’s system of local autonomy and self-rule.