"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason." --Thomas Paine

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Events Calendar:

To Begin the World Over Again; the Life of Thomas Paine at The California Federation of Teachers Conference in Los Angeles on February 9th.

From Wharf Rats to Lords of the Docks and To Begin the World Over Again; the Life of Thomas Paine for the Masters Mates and Pilots Association in July.

To Begin the World Over Again; the Life of Thomas Paine at the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia on October 3rd,in the Benjamin Franklin Hall, 427 Chestnut Street. Reception at 5:30 and performance at 6 PM. Free and open to the public. Reserve seats at www.amphilsoc.org or at 215-440-3400.

To Begin the World Over Again; the Life of Thomas Paine at Harvard Law School as part of the 70th Anniversary Celebration of the Labor and Worklife Program on October 6th at 3:30. Open to the public. More details soon.

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The Thomas Paine Society

Site Updated:May 9, 2012.

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Welcome to the home of The Life of Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine was the one truly radical Founding Father of America, a man who changed the face of the world through his writings. “Common Sense” inspired the American Revolution, “Rights of Man” defined the French Revolution, and then “The Age of Reason” called on us to use our ability to reason as the basis for our beliefs and morality.

He is a man largely forgotten and greatly misunderstood, ironically quoted by all and every political faction in America today. Yet his ideas about democracy, equality, slavery, pensions, healthcare and education and morality would have created a very different kind of nation if they had been acted on.

His life was a great arc. He was a man who changed the world, only to have the world he changed turn its back on him. The man who ignited revolutions would die largely ignored and distained, yet when he was writing his books and pamphlets he was at the epicenter of world events and literally transforming nations through the power of his words. He was a true man of the Enlightenment and thrilled by the idea that the potential of mankind was about to burst forth. As he said “we have it in our power to begin the world over again”. For more information on the One Man Play navigate to our "The Play" page.

News Update.
Our seven short films that use excerpts from the play to challenge the distortions made by Bob Basso as Paine (short clips included) are up at YouTube.com/thelifeofthomaspaine. Please visit, watch and spread the word!


For more news about this exciting project, please navigate to our "events" page.

Please consider making a donation to the project. All donations will be acknowledged on this site. Checks should be sent to the address below and made out to The Harry Bridges Project, our fiscal sponsor. This ensures that your donation is 100% tax-deductable.