He went back to England for a visit that ended up turning into something more. Certain that American independence would lead as inevitably to the abolition of slavery as to a revolution in religion, the English immigrant soon became one of the most ardent and articulate advocates of rebellion against England. Six weeks after the article was published, the first antislavery society in America was established in Philadelphia, with Paine as a founding member. Paine regarded it as particularly ironic that Americans should complain with increasing vociferousness of injustices done them by Britain while the colonists themselves enslaved other men.

anti-slavery organization, and wrote fiery editorials denouncing the hypocrisy of the pro-independence American settlers. Then, after moving to Philadelphia in 1774 on Ben Franklin's suggestion, he helped to found the first U.S. To begin with, he spoke out against the disabilities against English Jews when he was still living in England (here he was almost 100 years ahead of his time). Paine is extraordinary - he nailed several major veins of acceptable discrimination, and devoted (sacrificed, really) his life to ending them. The kernel: 'Secularism teaches us to be just here and now.' I already cited one of the great quotes from Ingersoll, in my 'pre-review' of the book last week. Jacoby draws a vivid picture of each, and finds some particularly compelling quotes from their respective works. Her research helps me with the project I'm working on, and it's quite well written.Īt the very least, I think it will lead to a renewal of general interest in Thomas Paine and Robert Ingersoll. Overall, I think Susan Jacoby's Freethinkers is a marvelous book.

Freethinkers jacoby