“Whether that state that is proudly, perhaps erroneously, called civilization, has most promoted or most injured the general happiness of man is a question that may be strongly contested. -On one side, the spectator is dazzled by splendid appearances; on the other, he is shocked by extremes of wretchedness; both of which he has erected. The most affluent and the most miserable of the human race are to be found in the countries that are called civilized.”
Thomas Paine writing, in Agrarian Justice, finds his own unique way of an idea that is not uniquely his. But Paine’s genius lay in reminding us of fundamental concepts that often lay just beyond daily life. Helping us to strive for a new world
It is good, from time to time, to remember that the best and worst of us exist in each nation, society, and individual, and thus encourage vigilance.
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