Thomas Paine Quotes about War

Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.

Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.

Motivation, War, 4th Of July

Common Sense (1776)

It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.

Peace, Truth, War

Thomas Paine (1824). “The Political Writings of Thomas Paine: Secretary to the Committee of Foreign Affairs in the American Revolution : to which is Prefixed a Brief Sketch of the Author's Life”, p.284

Character is much easier kept than recovered.

Thomas Paine

Life, Integrity, War

Thomas Paine (1819). “The American Crisis”, p.190

Taxes were not raised to carry on wars, but that wars were raised to carry on taxes.

Thomas Paine

War, Taxes, Raised

"Selected Writings of Thomas Paine".

It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf.

Thomas Paine

War, Justice, Violence

Thomas Paine (2016). “THOMAS PAINE Ultimate Collection: Political Works, Philosophical Writings, Speeches, Letters & Biography (Including Common Sense, The Rights of Man & The Age of Reason): The American Crisis, The Constitution of 1795, Declaration of Rights, Agrarian Justice, The Republican Proclamation, Anti-Monarchal Essay, Letters to Thomas Jefferson and George Washington…”, p.43, e-artnow

An army of principles will penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.

Thomas Paine

Peace, War, 4th Of July

"Citizen Paine: Thomas Paine's Thoughts on Man, Government, Society, and Religion".

War is the gambling table of governments, and citizens the dupes of the game.

Thomas Paine

War, Gambling, Government

Peace, which costs nothing, is attended with infinitely more advantage than any victory with all its expence.

Thomas Paine

Money, War, Victory

Thomas Paine (1792). “Rights of Man, Being an Answer to Mr. Burke's Attack on the French Revolution... by T. Paine...”

The cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf.

Thomas Paine

War, Violence, Foxes

Thomas Paine, John P. Kaminski (2002). “Citizen Paine: Thomas Paine's Thoughts on Man, Government, Society, and Religion”, p.76, Rowman & Littlefield

I consider the war of America against Britain as the country's war, the public's war, or the war of the people in their own behalf, for the security of their natural rights, and the protection of their own property.

Thomas Paine

Country, War, Rights

Thomas Paine (1819). “The American Crisis”, p.154

That there are men in all countries who get their living by war, and by keeping up the quarrels of Nations is as shocking as it is true.

Thomas Paine

Country, Money, War

Thomas Paine (2016). “THE AGE OF REASON - Investigation of True and Fabulous Theology (Including “The Life of Thomas Paine”): Deistic Critique of Bible and Christian Church”, p.331, e-artnow

In reviewing the history of the English Government, its wars and its taxes, a bystander, not blinded by prejudice nor warped by interest, would declare that taxes were not raised to carry on wars, but that wars were raised to carry on taxes.

Thomas Paine

War, Bystanders, Government

Thomas Paine (2016). “THOMAS PAINE Ultimate Collection: Political Works, Philosophical Writings, Speeches, Letters & Biography (Including Common Sense, The Rights of Man & The Age of Reason): The American Crisis, The Constitution of 1795, Declaration of Rights, Agrarian Justice, The Republican Proclamation, Anti-Monarchal Essay, Letters to Thomas Jefferson and George Washington…”, p.223, e-artnow

He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death.

Thomas Paine

Motivation, War, Government

Thomas Paine (2016). “THE AMERICAN CRISIS – Revolutionary Work Which Inspired the American People to Fight for Their Independence: Including “The Life of Thomas Paine” – Extensive Biography of the Author”, p.58, e-artnow

I have as little superstition in me as any man living, but my secret opinion has ever been, and still is, that God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupportedly to perish, who have so earnestly and so repeatedly sought to avoid the calamities of war, by every decent method which wisdom could invent. Neither have I so much of the infidel in me, as to suppose that He has relinquished the government of the world, and given us up to the care of devils.

Thomas Paine

Giving Up, Military, War

Thomas Paine (2008). “The American Crisis”, p.7, Cosimo, Inc.

When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.

Thomas Paine

Pain, War, 4th Of July

Thomas Paine (2015). “Common Sense: and The American Crisis I”, p.38, Penguin

To establish any mode to abolish war, however advantageous it might be to Nations, would be to take from such Government the most lucrative of its branches.

Thomas Paine

Funny, Motivation, War

Thomas Paine (1791). “Rights of Man: Being an Answer to Mr. Burke's Attack on the French Revolution”, p.160

Never, I say, had a country so many openings to happiness as this.... Her cause was good. Her principles just and liberal. Her temper serene and firm.... The remembrance then of what is past, if it operates rightly must inspire her with the most laudable of an ambition, that of adding to the fair fame she began with. The world has seen her great adversity.... Let then, the world see that she can bear prosperity; and that her honest virtue in time of peace is equal to the bravest virtue in time of war.

Thomas Paine

Country, War, Adversity

War ought to be no man's wish.

Thomas Paine

War, Men, Wish

Thomas Paine (1995). “Collected Writings”, p.81, Library of America

On this question of war, three things are to be considered. First, the right of declaring it: secondly, the expense of supporting it: thirdly, the mode of conducting it after it is declared.

Thomas Paine

War, Three, Firsts

Thomas Paine (2016). “THOMAS PAINE Ultimate Collection: Political Works, Philosophical Writings, Speeches, Letters & Biography (Including Common Sense, The Rights of Man & The Age of Reason): The American Crisis, The Constitution of 1795, Declaration of Rights, Agrarian Justice, The Republican Proclamation, Anti-Monarchal Essay, Letters to Thomas Jefferson and George Washington…”, p.224, e-artnow

Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me, or those that are in it, and to "bind me in all cases whatsoever" to his absolute will, am I to suffer it?

Thomas Paine

War, Believe, Thinking

1776 The Crisis, introduction, Dec.

In a general view, there are few conquests that repay the charge of making them, and mankind are pretty well convinced that it can never be worth their while to go to war for profit's sake. If they are made war upon, their country invaded, or their existence at stake, it is their duty to defend and preserve themselves, but in every other light, and from every other cause, is war inglorious and detestable.

Thomas Paine

Country, Peace, War

Thomas Paine (1819). “The American Crisis”, p.104

In the early ages of the world, according to the scripture chronology, there were no kings; the consequence of which was there were no wars; it is the pride of kings which throws mankind into confusion.

Thomas Paine

Kings, War, Pride

Thomas Paine (2015). “The Thomas Paine Collection: Common Sense, Rights of Man, Age of Reason, An Essay on Dream, Biblical Blasphemy, Examination Of The Prophecies”, p.7, Ravenio Books