Independent Governance in Thomas Paine's Term Paper

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Paine explains: "A government of our own is our natural right: and when a man seriously reflects on the precariousness of human affairs, he will become convinced, that it is infinitely wiser and safer, to form a constitution of our own..."

His concept of independence as a nation-state is no different from people's common notion of independence of the individual as a human being's natural right. Each American has the natural right to be free; and so, upon the creation of a nation in America, the country itself attains 'collective independence.' Paine speaks of independence in the purest and natural sense, where every individual shall actively participate in the process of nation-building of a newly-independent America.

While Madison shares Paine's argument that independence should be given to America, his was an altogether different kind of independence. He firmly believes that the American nation should have representative or a "minority" who will govern the political and state affairs of the country for the civil society. He then proposes that in the process of nation building, the whole of America should adopt a republican form of government.

In "Federalist #10," Madison expresses disagreement over Paine's notion of independence at its 'purest and natural sense.

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' Instead, he points out that in a pure democracy, there is potential for anarchy to occur, primarily because there are individuals whose "...factious tempers...local prejudices...sinister designs, may, by intrigue, by corruption, or by other means, first obtain the suffrages, and then betray the interests, of the people." Because of this natural tendency for the majority to be ruled by people who have vested interests, interests that do not concern the welfare of the nation, he proposes a republican government.

Through a republic, "[a] common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole; a communication and concert result from the form of government itself; and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual." Thus, through the republic, the citizenry shall not forfeit their right to suffrage and independence of governance; it is only that there will be representatives, whose best interests are for their country and fellow citizens. Indeed, true to his arguments, America had adopted this form of government, and developed to become one of the greatest nation-states of the world today......

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