A new book is reexamining the legacy of American revolutionary Thomas Paine, best known for his work "Common Sense." Author and Harvard University professor Danielle Allen joins CBS News to discuss.

Cambridge

A new book titled 'Radical Duke: How One Aristocrat and the American Revolution Transformed Britain' by Danielle Allen investigates the legacy of Thomas Paine and his connections to Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond. The book discusses Paine's arguments for American independence, his critique of British rule, and his collaboration with Richmond, who advocated for political reforms in Britain.

Allen's research began with the discovery of a rare Declaration of Independence parchment in England, leading to an exploration of Paine's years in southern England and his partnership with Richmond. The book highlights Richmond's support for American independence and his efforts to promote universal suffrage and parliamentary reform in Britain.

New book explores Thomas Paine's legacy

Now to our America 250 series celebrating our country's landmark anniversary this year. And today we're talking about American revolutionary Thomas Paine, perhaps best known for his work Common Sense, a 47-page pamphlet that helped inspire the American Revolution and promote American independence from Great Britain. It was published in 1776 and it remains the all-time best-selling American title. Now a new book explores Paine's connections to an English duke. The book is called Radical Duke, How One Aristocrat and the American Revolution Transformed Britain. Its author is Danielle Allen and she's joining us live now. Okay, for those of us who may not have read Common Sense for a very long time, I know I was trying to remind myself what I learned in high school and college and American history class. Can you remind us what were Thomas Paine's core arguments for independence in Common Sense? Sure. Well, what Thomas Paine does, first of all, is just tell everybody that it's already common knowledge. Basically, everybody understands that the 13 colonies are about to become separate from Britain, whether it happened then in 1776 or later. His argument was that it was impossible for Britain across the ocean to govern territories that had their own capacities and their own potential. So there was a kind of basic just law of physics argument to the text. In addition, though, he also had a severe critique of the king. The king, in his view, had made parliament fully dependent on him. There was no longer legislative supremacy in Britain. And as for the colonies, they didn't even have any legislative voice in Britain. So they were a subject to the arbitrary will of the king. And no free people can live like that, was his argument. So it was a twofold argument, that freedom and American self-understanding and pride required independence, that they had the capacity to do it, to win a war, and that the laws of physics essentially were tending in this direction anyway. Thomas Paine was a fascinating person, Danielle. Can you tell us a little bit about your research into this book? I understand it all began with the discovery of a copy of the Declaration of Independence in England? How did that go? That's right. Yes, more than 10 years ago. It's incredible. My research team saw a little catalog entry that said Declaration of Independence, Parchment 1776, in a tiny archive in southern England in Chichester. We didn't think it could be anything. We all thought there was one parchment and it was in the National Archives in Washington. But we sent for a photo, we got a CD-ROM, and then voila, there was this incredibly beautiful parchment. It probably dates actually from just before the Constitutional Convention. Then though, there was a mystery. How on earth did this get to England? The answer lies with Thomas Paine. Thomas Paine spent six years as a tax collector in southern England in a town called Lewes, 1768 to 1774. But what people haven't known previously is that he spent those years actually writing radical essays for the newspapers under the patronage and in collaboration with Charles Lennox III, Duke of Richmond. Richmond was known to the Americans. He was a big supporter of the Americans. He was the first member of the House of Lords to recommend recognizing American independence. And he introduced a bill in Parliament in 1780 for universal manhood suffrage. So although he was an aristocrat, he had a vision of a free Britain, where again, Parliament would not be dependent on the king. And the way that would be achieved would be if everybody were voting, you'd have Parliament really the voice of the people, and the people would be the sovereign authority in the country. The book is called Radical Duke. The author is Daniel Allen. Thank you so much for joining us. Fascinating read there. Thank you.

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