Rights of Man

The book that defended a revolution and dared ordinary people to think for themselves.

Thomas Paine's incendiary masterpiece is the most influential political pamphlet of the modern age, a blazing argument that government exists to serve the people, not the other way around.

Written as a defense of the French Revolution against Edmund Burke's famous attack, Rights of Man goes far beyond its immediate occasion. Paine argues that every generation has the right to choose its own government; that hereditary rule is an absurdity; that monarchy and aristocracy are parasitic; and that the purpose of government is to protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He calls for progressive taxation, public education, old-age pensions, and a guaranteed minimum income—ideas so radical in 1791 that the British government indicted him for sedition. He fled to France, where he was elected to the National Convention, and then imprisoned by Robespierre.

This is Paine at his most clear and furious: a book that stripped away the mystique of kingship and told ordinary people that they did not need to bow. Rights of Man has never gone out of print—because the argument it makes is never finished.

• One of the most influential political works in history, inspiring radicals and reformers for two centuries

• Banned and burned in Britain; Paine was tried in absentia for seditious libel

• A foundational text of classical liberalism, republicanism, and human rights discourse

Available in multiple formats:

• Paperback & Hardcover: Beautifully designed print editions presenting the complete, unabridged text made to last.

• Ebook: DRM-free EPUB compatible with Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, and all major e-readers.

• Audiobook: Professionally narrated, complete and unabridged, available on all major audiobook platforms.

A beautifully crafted edition for your shelf, your device, or your ears—or the perfect gift for anyone who believes that government's only legitimate purpose is to serve the governed.

About the Author

Thomas Paine (1737–1809) was an English-born American political activist, philosopher, and revolutionary. Born in Thetford, Norfolk, he emigrated to the American colonies in 1774 with the help of Benjamin Franklin. His pamphlet Common Sense (1776) galvanized the American Revolution, selling over 500,000 copies. Rights of Man (1791–92) was written in response to Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France and became an international bestseller. Paine's radicalism made him enemies: he was outlawed in Britain, imprisoned in France during the Reign of Terror (narrowly escaping the guillotine), and vilified in America for his later work The Age of Reason, a critique of organized religion. He died in New York in 1809; only six mourners attended his funeral. His remains were later disinterred and lost. Despite his neglect in death, Paine's influence on democratic thought in America, France, and around the world is incalculable.