Attack America After The War example essay topic

In Favor of Change We may as well assert that because a child has thrived upon milk, that it is never to have meat, or that the first twenty years of our lives is to become a precedent for the next twenty (Paine 83). The main argument that Paine tries to make is one against the thought that in order for America to grow and flourish as a healthy nation it must still be a part of Great Britain. Americans rationalized with this argument by trying to observe the past years since the formation of this colony and noting that there was a considerable growth in population and well-being in this nation. Americans also tried to argue against independence through several reasons: 1. a war would ruin America economically because of the independence America has on Britain; 2. militarily a war would be disastrous because of the superior numbers of the British military and overwhelming naval power; 3. politically chaotic from a breakdown in the current political system leading to anarchy, mob rule and perhaps civil war; 4. leave America an open target for other countries to attack.

Paine helps the people who made these arguments see the light through his essay Common Sense. One of the greatest fears Americans had about the repercussions of a war was that of the economy of the nation being smothered. A national debt was inevitable. No nation ought to be without a debt. A national debt is a national bond (Paine 102). America had no debt at the time and the people were scared of the debt that would surely follow a war.

Paine cleverly turns this around into a good thing by saying that a debt is unifying and can in turn help to provide a navy. The people of America have come to believe that the economics of the nation rely upon Britain which is, in its entirety, not true. The land that the nation sits upon has almost every necessary resource needed to provide for a war and the life that comes afterward; even then America has built foreign relations that Britain is not "aware of" and anything else that the nation might need can be found in places other than Great Britain. Once America is severed from the umbilical cord of its mother country, import taxes go away in the sense that the import tax revenues will not go back to Britain but instead will go straight to America. A currently economically secure America and the future hope Americans can have will prove to be an economically strong America. In almost every article of defense we abound (Paine 106).

Answering to the cry from the people that a war would be disastrous to the country Paine presents the point that America has a great number of supplies, resources, and an ever growing knowledge of the art of war. Paine also points out that Americans fail to realize that even though Britain does have an overwhelming naval power, Britain will not be able to deploy the entire navy because a large portion must stay in the home ports for homeland defense. He points out that if America were to build a navy it would only be necessary to build it to half a fifth of the size of that of the British navy because of the small amount of ships Britain will actually be able to deploy for war. Resolution is our inherent character, and courage hath never yet forsaken us (Paine 106).

As for the people's argument that Britain has superior numbers against America, Paine retaliates with the age old saying that "it's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog". If America wants independence bad enough, she shall have it. Politically America stands well at the present time but following a war America would be politically unmatched assuming that the plan of Paine is enforced. Removing the king is the key to a successful government. Let the people decide who is to rule for hereditary succession leaves the people with no choice. People who are allowed to have a role in their government are less likely to take a stand and try to lead a revolt.

A president is to be chosen, by the people, for the people and is to have the final say in all decisions. A congress is to be voted upon, one that will make the laws in America because in America in the following years, LAW IS KING (Paine, 98). Paine's government is to consist of six to ten districts per state which will send delegates to Congress and sit to choose a president. Congress must reach a majority vote (approximately three-fifths) to be able to pass laws to be just. He that will promote discord, under a government so equally formed as this, would have joined Lucifer in his revolt (Paine, 96). With a government this well built, growth as a nation instead of revolt is sure to occur.

If America can defeat the current superpower of the world, who would dare come to stand and attack America after the war when her spirits are high and foreign relations are building? As stated in the paragraphs before, America has a mounting knowledge of the art of war that grew as the war progressed and she also has most of the resources to fight a war. For another country to dare try and fight America in this time after the war would prove to be disastrous for that country. Paine argues that the people who are against the war need to use a little common sense. Many of the people at the time were not worried about the future of the country but were only worried about the current well-being of themselves and those close to them. Paine forces these people to take a look at what is really going on and what the effects of independence are.

Economically America would thrive; militarily, America would prevail; politically, America would be sound; and in the case of foreign attack, there would be none. Paine just has to take a stand and make the pessimists of the revolution step back and see the truth about independence.