The Minimal Government

In the 18 th century Europe had experienced the baptism of the enlightenment, but absolutism was still raging. Paine lived in this era and was suffering from all kinds of pain caused by the autocratic government, so he especially hated the autocratic systems. In his view, in addition to American, the government of any country in the world was a tool of oppressed and enslaved people. The autocratic government had become the unfair source of power, prestige and wealth. The excess power of the autocratic government had made the world “uncivilized”. However, Paine was not disappointed, and he was convinced that the autocratic government above society was only temporary, the power collapse of the autocratic government was just a matter of time. The autocratic government was facing death and hadn’t been supported, because it was “unnatural”.In order to find a natural government, Paine first transfers to the view of society. In his view, society is generated due to the desire of people, it is only the most consistent with nature. Therefore, Paine put society as the foundation of government and builds its theory. Man is in society, human nature will take the initiative to pursue an independent of government. And people enjoys extensive rights and civil rights in society. If people are always honest with each other, it don’t need government’s constraint. However, due to the weakness of people’s own virtue, society must be with the help of government to ensure effective governance. Government is produced by “people”, its purpose to stop people’s evil. Society is an absolute good, while government is a necessary evil. The more social progress, the more don’t need government. Consequently, in his view, a ideal society should be the social autonomy combined with the minimal government: Government is the less the better, social management is the more the better.Since government is necessary, how to build a legitimate government becomes an important content of Paine’s political thought. In his view, the minimal government is based on society, accord with nature and can limits the power of government. Its thought system includes three aspects: One is the social contract theory. a legitimate government is produced by all members of society through the contract, which is just a delegate of people. If government is against people’s will, people can recover completely. Second, the constitution is higher than government. The constitution is law that people form government, rather than government decrees. Its task is to limit and constraint government.Three is the representative government. The representative government can guarantees the wide and true democracy, it can enables the government to the maximum extent to represent the interests of people.In his view, the minimal government is not the power of the government as small as possible, but emphasizes that the power of the government returns to society and serves the society. Realistic society remains uneven distribution of wealth, the gap between rich and poor, more and more poverty and other social unfair phenomenons. In order to eliminate poverty and inequality, maintain the lower people’s interests and achieve social fairness and justice, Paine suggests the government actively promotes social reforms. Social and economic reform reduces the general people’s tax burden and increases the landless people’s social wealth. The construction of social welfare guarantees the basic living of the poor. Paine eventually hopes to build a society through social reforms, where human rights are universal respected, where is no gap between the rich and the poor, where is harmony and happy.