A volume of Thomas Paines most essential works, showcasing one of American historys most eloquent proponents of democracy. Upon publication, Thomas Paines modest pamphlet Common Sense shocked and spurred the foundling American colonies of 1776 to action. It demanded freedom from Britain--when even the most fervent patriots were only advocating tax reform. Paines daring prose paved the way for the Declaration of Independence and, consequently, the Revolutionary War. For "without the pen of Paine," as John Adams said, "the sword of Washington would have been wielded in vain." Later, his impassioned defense of the French Revolution, Rights of Man, caused a worldwide sensation. Napoleon, for one