Thomas Paine vs. Benjamin Franklin

Thomas Paine - Taken from www.thefederalistpapers.org

Benjamin Franklin - Taken from www.etc.usf.edu

Thomas Paine (1737 – 1809) and Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790) were both central figures in the American Revolutionary War and influential writers.  Though similar in their direct, propagandist writing style, these authors somewhat differed in the content of their works.   A brief comparison of Paine and Franklin’s works will demonstrate the beliefs of United States’ founding authors.

With subject matter, Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin are similar with little to no strong Christian faith in their writings, and instead they promote overall religious freedom (Perkins 311, 357).  Franklin also elates himself in many areas, which are traditionally religious or God-centered, rather than praising God.  For instance, when he wrote down admirable morals to keep, Franklin did not mention God or ask for his assistance at all (308).  He also hints universalism, a view that all religion led to the same path, as he writes of a church,

“Both house and ground were vested in trustees, expressly for the use of any preacher if any religious persuasion who might desire to say something to the people at Philadelphia; the design in building not being to accommodate any particular sect, but the inhabitants in general; so that even if the Mufti of Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach Mohammedanism to us, he would find a pulpit in his service” (311).

Thomas Paine held similar beliefs as well, and in his work The Age of Reason one notices that he rejects organized religion, views second and third retellings (i.e. the Bible) as hearsay and believed that creation was God’s primary method of revelation to man (Perkins 351-52, 354).  In addition, Paine appears almost blasphemous as he personally doubts the Virgin Birth and the Divine authorship of the Ten Commandments (352-53).   Paine’s filter of reason and support of religious freedom are quite evident in his summarizing words, “Adam, if ever there was such a man, was created a Deist; but in the meantime let every man follow, as he has a right to do, the religion and the worship he prefers” (357).

Then, both had a similar view of America, yet while Franklin’s antagonists are the indolent, Paine targets the cowards.  Beginning with Thomas Paine, he perceived the Tories, or the men still loyal to England, as the worst men, who are weak at heart, and undeserving of their blessings in life (Perkins 339).  Paine views these loyalists as such due to the fact that when injured by the British, they do not retaliate.  He writes,

“But if you have [been hurt by England], and can still shake hands with the murderers, then you are unworthy the name of husband, father, friend, or lover; and whatever may be your rank or title in life, you have the heart of a coward, and the spirit of a sycophant” (340).

To contrast, Benjamin Franklin critics laziness in his writings, since indolence is the very opposite of what he strove for in his life.  In his essay titled “Information to Those Who Would Remove to America,” he compares the idle gentlemen to a hog, writing that the lazy are “otherwise good for nothing, till by their death their estates, like the carcass of the Negro’s gentleman-hog, come to be cut up” (Perkins 329).

Finally, while Franklin left out political turmoil, Paine directly addressed it.  Benjamin Franklin never does mention the Revolutionary War or political tension in his letters, most likely because he is trying to display the good in America (Perkins 328-30).  However, for Thomas Paine, the potential war and tension are at the heart of what he is writing for, which is the independence of the American Colonies (343).  In his pamphlet Common Sense, Paine covers why America should separate from England and how they can thrive afterwards, creating the separation to be natural, practical and extremely logical (336-39).  For example, he writes,

“Small islands not capable of protecting themselves are the proper objects for government to take under their care; but there is something absurd in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island.  In no instance hath nature made the satellite larger than its primary planet; and as England and America, with respect to each other, reverse the common order of nature, it is evident that they belong to different systems.  England to Europe: America to itself” (340-41).

Cite:

Perkins, George B. and Barbara Perkins. The American Tradition in Literature. 12th ed. Vol. 1. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.

"Thomas Paine Quotes." Thomas Paine. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. <http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/founders/thomas-paine-quotes>.

"Benjamin Franklin." Educational Technology Clearinghouse. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. <http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/49700/49763/49763_ben_franklin.htm>.