Paine grounded American rights in natural society, not British subjecthood.

Evidence

“Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas, they are not only different, but have different origins,” Thomas Paine observes to begin the opening section of his world-shattering pamphlet, Common Sense, published in mid-January 1776. “Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness possitively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices.” The first settlers of a sequestered place enter into society for commerce and mutual aid, he states; societies later form governments to enforce social norms and reinforce moral virtue. Then, in a profoundly American remark that set up his entire argument, Paine asserts, “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.” — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 49

Categorization

• DEFINE: Paine’s founding distinction between society (natural good) and government (necessary evil) is a definitional frame underpinning the entire American rights tradition.
• XREF: Connects to how the course treats competing foundational values — Paine’s society/government split anticipates liberal vs. civic-republican debates about the state’s legitimacy. — connects to: Otis grounded colonial rights in shared British subjecthood and consent — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 32; Paine derived America’s right to self-government from natural geography. — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 76; Paine presented American independence as a world-historical opportunity, not mere colonial grievance. — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 94 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Paine derived America’s right to self-government from natural geography. #expands (0.85) — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 76
• The Rights of Man were grounded in a supposed human nature rather than history #corroborates (0.82) — Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, 728
• Paine presented American independence as a world-historical opportunity, not mere colonial grievance. #expands (0.78) — Edward J. Larson, Declaring Independence, 94