Quote #50

Men did not make the earth... It is the value of the improvements only, and not the earth itself, that is individual property... Every proprietor owes to the community a ground rent for the land which he holds.

More from Thomas Paine

  1. Of all the systems of religion that ever were invented, there is none more derogatory to the Almighty, more unedifying to man, more repugna…
  2. You can't conquer an idea with an army.
  3. The sublime and the ridiculous are often so nearly related, that it is difficult to class them separately. One step above the sublime makes…
  4. A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue, but moderation in principle is always a …
  5. People in general do not know what wickedness there is in this pretended word of God. Brought up in habits of superstition, they take it fo…
  6. Christianity is the strangest religion ever set up, for it committed a murder upon Jesus in order to redeem mankind from the sin of eating …
  7. The age of ignorance commenced with the Christian system.
  8. He who dares not offend cannot be honest.

All Thomas Paine quotes