American Literature 17th-19th Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American Literature 17th-19th Century - Essay Example Tom Paine’s in his literary work the â€Å"Rights of Man† described King George as a â€Å"royal brute.† In the first part of the book, Paine attacks the whole essence of monarchy. Unlike his colleague Burke, Paine insists that each society has the privilege to establish a solid foundation of their own government without the consistent oppression of a monarch. Paine attacks King George III from all angles as he considers King George to be an â€Å"unfit leader† in many aspects. First and foremost is the fact that he used the colonist’s tax money to fund his poor decisions as a King but also to pay for his son’s misfortunes. Paine elaborately describes this dilemma as he states, â€Å"The burden of the national debt consists not in its being so many millions, or so many hundred millions, but in the quantity of taxes collected every year to pay the interest. If this quantity continue the same, the burden of the national debt is the same to all intents and purposes, be the capital more or less† (Paine, 20). Clearly, he is irate at the fact that the colonists have to atone for the burden for the King’s self-pursuit interests. According to his perspective, the King wanted to "keep the rebels harassed, anxious, and poor, until the day when, by a natural and inevitable process, discontent and disappointment were converted into penitence and remorse† (Paine, 24). Paine’s point of emphasis continues to be the fact that government is for the living and not for the dead. Heredity power should be acquired through the choice of the people and is not heredity. Paine was one of the most prominent philosophers that dominated the philosophy scene in his era. One cannot ignore the fact that Paine was writing during an era where warfare plagued society. Clearly, Paine wanted to establish the fact the notion of commonwealth in this statement. In commonwealth, the notion a covenant is established. A covenant in