Thomas Paine's Rights of Man

'Christopher Hitchens... at his characteristically incisive best.' --The Times

Thomas Paine is one of the greatest political advocates in history. Declaration of the Rights of Man, first published in 1791, is the key to his reputation. Inspired by his outrage at Edmund Burke's attack on the uprising of the French people, Paine's text is a passionate defence of man's inalienable rights.

In Rights of Man Paine argues against monarchy and outlines the elements of a successful republic, including public education, pensions and relief of the poor and unemployed, all financed by income tax. Since its publication, Rights of Man has been celebrated, criticized, maligned and suppressed but here the polemicist and commentator Christopher Hitchens marvels at its forethought and revels in its contentiousness. Above all, Hitchens demonstrates how Thomas Paine's book forms the philosophical cornerstone of the first democratic republic, whose revolution is the only example that still speaks to us: the United States of America.

"'Christopher Hitchens... at his characteristically incisive best.' A. C. Grayling, The Times 'Hitchens makes [his case for Thomas Paine's Rights of Man] with characteristic verve and style... engaging and well worth reading.' John Gray, New Statesman 'A timely book.' Billy Bragg, Books of the Year, Guardian * 'Compendious, clear and engaged accounts... this series is a big success.' A. C. Grayling, The Times"

Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011) was a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and visiting Professor in liberal studies at the New School in New York. He was the author of numerous books, including works on Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, George Orwell, Mother Theresa, Henry Kissinger and Bill and Hillary Clinton, as well as the international bestseller and National Book Award nominee, god Is Not Great.

My country is the world and my religion is to do good.' Thomas Paine, writing in Declaration of the Rights of Man (1791)..Thomas Paine is one of the greatest political propagandists in history. Declaration of the Rights of Man, first published in 1791, is the key to his reputation. Inspired by his outrage at Edmund Burke's attack on the uprising of the French people, Paine's text is a passionate defence of man's basic and irrefutable rights...In Rights of Man Paine argued against monarchy and outlined the elements of a successful republic, including public education, pensions and relief of the poor and unemployed, all financed by income tax. Since its publication, Rights of Man has been celebrated, criticised, maligned and suppressed but here the polemicist and commentator Christopher Hitchens, Paine's natural heir, marvels at its forethought and revels in its contentiousness. Above all, Hitchens demonstrates how Thomas Paine's Rights of Man forms the philosophical cornerstone of the greatest republic in the history of the world: the United States of America.

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