Thomas Paine, democratization and America’s ongoing mission: a reconsideration

This paper emphasized how Thomas Paine's later works, primarily Rights of Man, would be particularly helpful in teaching contemporary issues associated with globalization, economic interdependence, and democratization. This body of Paine's work seeks to export many of the foundational ideas of American liberalism to Europe. These include the virtues of free markets, human rights, and democracy. Paine also sought to spread democracy by force of arms if necessary. Questions of how to encourage free trade, democracy, and a respect for human rights have become integral to discussions of globalization. Paine’s later works can be used as a means to introduce students to the prevailing concerns of living in this period of increasing globalization.